This month, I turned 25, so I thought I would compile 25 quotes that have given me wisdom, laughter, and/or comfort throughout my life so far. Hopefully they can offer something to you too!

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” -Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

A great reminder from one of my favorite movies. It’s okay to live your life, do all the normal things, follow a routine, etc., but you have to make the effort to be present every now and then. You have to take advantage of that thing called “free will” in order to enjoy the small moments and the big events.

“At least I carpe’d that one diem.” -John Green, Paper Towns

This quote has a similar meaning to the one above. There’s no use feeling guilty about living a “boring” life, or letting some opportunities pass by. It’s the opportunities you decide to take that matter in the long run, not the ones you miss.

“To Seeking.” “To Finding.” – Erin Morgenstern, The Starless Sea

The only toast I ever want to make. We’re all looking for something, and what better offer of goodwill is there than to toast to the finding of that thing? In The Starless Sea, both the journey and the conclusion are important. They give each other meaning, and neither can have meaning without the other. Journeys must end so new journeys can begin. Thinking about life like this brings me so much comfort.

“Just ’cause you put syrup on something, don’t make it pancakes.” -Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez), Psych (S6E15)

Sugarcoating things doesn’t fix the problem. Pretending (or gaslighting) doesn’t change reality. Pancakes are delicious. (Wait, I’m not sure that last one fits. But it’s true, isn’t it?)

“We think of ourselves as individuals, but the world acts on us as a collective.” -Hank Green

I don’t remember when or where I heard Hank say this, but I wrote it down and still think about it. It’s a lesson I feel like everyone should have learned by now (especially after COVID swept the world), but alas, this lesson still needs to be learned. Individualism doesn’t die when we start thinking collectively. Value your communities, everyone!

“We’re here because we’re here because we’re here…” (to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne”) -mentioned in John Green’s The Anthropocene Reviewed

This is one of my favorite forms of infinity, because it creates a piece of art out of our collective existence just by stating that we exist. Some positive nihilism never hurt anybody!

“Do you ever feel like you’re only doing things because everyone else is? And you’re scared to change? Or do something that might confuse or surprise people? Your real personality has been, like, buried inside you for a really long time.” -Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), Netflix’s Heartstopper

The first time I watched Heartstopper, this scene made me *feel things.* It was one of those moments when something I’ve felt has been put into the perfect words, words I couldn’t find for myself. Almost like a mantra, I now constantly remind myself that I don’t have to be the same person I was yesterday. Change is not something I need to regulate; change is something that I can embrace as frequently or infrequently as I want.

“Is this thing safe?” “Safe as life.” -Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys

Motivation from the legendary Richard Campbell Gansey III. If you wait for things to feel 100% safe, you’ll never do anything. You can’t let fear stop you from doing things. You have to do the things with the fear still there.

“There’s no such thing as bad guys or good guys. We’re all just… guys, who do good stuff sometimes and bad stuff sometimes. And all we can do is try to do less bad stuff and more good stuff, but you’re never going to be good because you’re not bad.” -Diane Nguyen (Alison Brie), Bojack Horseman (S5E12)

Diane’s character development in Bojack Horseman really resonates with me, both as a writer and as a neurodivergent person. This is just one of many Diane quotes that put a complex truth into simple words.

I don’t believe people are inherently good or bad, nor are most objects and actions. It’s taken a lot of effort, but I’ve become comfortable with gray areas. I feel at peace with unknowns and outside-the-box-ness. Unpack those boxes!

“You hope it was a miracle. But probably not.” -John Mulaney, New in Town (2012)

a.k.a. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Realism at its best (and funniest).

“Titties out is a gender-neutral look.” -tumblr post (can’t find original post)

I just think about this quote a lot. It challenges gender norms and double standards in only six words.

“And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together—knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.” -Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

This is the only quote about loyalty (that I’ve come across) that I don’t find entirely problematic. There’s no blind faith involved. It’s a loyalty that goes both ways, a respect for and trust in each other as equals.

“Man who catch fly with chopstick accomplish anything.” -Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), The Karate Kid (1984)

The journey toward a near-impossible feat is the thing that matters, not actually accomplishing the feat. On the way to trying to do this difficult task, you learn and grow. Just by trying, you’re accomplishing more than you thought you could.

Mr. Miyagi even admits that he hasn’t caught a fly yet. When Daniel catches one right away, Mr. Miyagi gets annoyed because it disproves his lesson. But I don’t think it disproves his lesson. Something that you might find incredibly difficult might come easily to another person. We need to judge ourselves by our own personal standards, not by comparison to others.

“With great power comes great responsibility.” -Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), Spider-Man (2002)

An iconic line that needs no explanation.

“No I ain’t happy yet / But I’m way less sad.” -AJR, “Way Less Sad”

Achievable goals! When it comes to emotions and mental health, every step forward is something to be celebrated.

“There’s nothing wrong with me / This is how I’m supposed to be / In the land of make believe / Who don’t believe in me.” -Green Day, “Jesus of Suburbia”

Sometimes you can do everything right and be true to yourself and try super hard, but if the world was not made for people like you, living life can be hard. I often feel like the world was not made for me, and it’s one of the most frustrating feelings in the world. I’m a trans person with chronic illnesses who doesn’t want to work a typical 9-5 job. I like to take my time and move slowly in life. I don’t always monetize my skills and like to learn just for fun.

All of these traits are incongruous with the world I live in. But I believe everyone can find a pocket of the world to belong in, even if you have to make it for yourself. Handmade pockets are better than no pockets; anyone who’s ever worn a dress can attest to that.

“Can you look at me? / ‘Cause I am blue and grey.” -BTS, “Blue & Grey”

Sometimes all I want when I’m sad or hurting is for someone else to notice.

“‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers— / That perches in the soul— / And sings the tune without the words— / And never stops—at all—” -Emily Dickinson

I love this poem so much, because Emily Dickinson shows how hope is always there even if we can’t sense it. You have to look for it at times, but hope will never fully abandon you.

“One light goes out, they all go out!” -Bob Rivers, “The Twelve Pains of Christmas“

This one’s a little facetious, but besides the universal holiday-decoration light problems, I can look at this quote and see that it’s also about noticing how one small failure can affect so much more than that one moment. Every small action has a wide effect; it’s just more obvious when it’s a negative effect.

Plus, this song is funny, and we all experience holiday stress of one form or another. Might as well make some jokes about it!

“Headlines don’t sell papes. Newsies sell papes.” -Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) & David Jacobs (David Moscow), Newsies (1992)

a.k.a. We make our own fates, but we have to use the tools given to us by our circumstances. The newsies make the most out of bad headlines, and they get to exercise their creativity while they’re at it, even if it’s something they have to do to survive.

“Well, what is much?” -Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia), Gilmore Girls (S2E5)

Everything is relative! All reading is reading, no matter the format! Flirting with literature is the best!

“You want weapons? We’re in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world! This room’s the greatest arsenal we could have—arm yourselves!” -10th Doctor (David Tennant), Doctor Who

In my opinion, this quote isn’t actually about books. It’s about knowledge. Knowledge gives you power. And just like words, knowledge can be wielded as a weapon. (Also, support your local libraries!)

“I does what I likes, and I likes what I do.” -Bert (Dick Van Dyke), Mary Poppins

The first half of this quote is basically the age-old advice to only do the things you love, but I think Bert, as someone in the working class, understands that we can’t all do what we want all the time. We can, however, find something to enjoy in everything we do.

When you can choose, do the things you like. When you can’t, find something good in the things you have to do.

“We don’t really know where this goes, and I’m not sure we really care.” -Bob Ross

I was flipping through a book at the library when I came across this Bob Ross quote. He was talking about a painting of a pathway that fades into the horizon, but like all good Bob Ross quotes, it’s actually about life. You pick the journey that feels right for you even if you don’t have a clear end in sight.

“If you have an idea that you genuinely think is great, don’t let some idiot talk you out of it.” -Stan Lee

Because if Stan Lee had listened to idiots, Spider-man wouldn’t exist, and wouldn’t the world be worse without Spider-man?

Alright, that’s it for the wisdom I’ve gathered thus far in life. Here’s to the second half of my twenties! I hope they involve more tattoos, lots of good books, time with people I love, laughter and smiles, and five more years of eclectic quotes.

-Ryn Baginski