There are many lessons and experiences from your childhood that stay with you the rest of your life. These lessons can come from family memories, school, activities you participated in, and more. As for me, the lessons I learned as a Girl Scout have stayed with me. I was a Girl Scout from elementary school all the way through high school. In fact, I earned my Gold Award (something I am still proud of because of the hard work). During these years, as I sold cookies, went to camp, and worked towards badges, I learned many pieces of information that are still useful today.

1. Always be prepared – However, I tend to over prepare and overpack in all situations. You just never know when you may need something when you are away from home or on the go.
2. Resourcefulness – Part of being always prepared is thinking strategically about what you really need to bring. To-do lists are my friend when packing and help me take just the right things. It is a good rule of thumb to pack items that have multiple purposes and uses.
3.  Perseverance when things get challenging – Obstacle courses, reaching that cookie sales goal, and other activities are designed for girls to use critical thinking skills and perseverance. In Girl Scouts, you learn that anything can be done with a little hard work and setting your mind to it – a true lesson that will help you in life.
4. A desire to serve my community – One of my favorite things about being a Girl Scout was the service opportunities we completed. These experiences fostered a love of wanting to help others within the community. It doesn’t have to be a big action but giving back to your city in some way makes you feel good and is a reminder that kindness is always around.
5. A love of history – At the end of fifth grade, my troop took a trip to Savannah, Georgia, to visit the home of Girl Scouts founder, Juliette Gordon Low. During this trip, we also took in city sites. This trip helped inspire my love for history. To this day, I enjoy learning about people and places in the past, while appreciating the changes they have been through.
6. Leaders are made, not born – Everyone has leadership potential. Girl Scouts taught me that I can be a leader. I became equipped with the skills I needed to lead others no matter what the situation is, big or small.
7. To work alongside others – “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Knowing how to work with others is a very important skill that does take some time to figure out. Through Girl Scouts, I was able to practice these skills by completing challenges, projects, and more. Successful collaboration is a goal in many settings.  You will be surprised at what you can learn from others.
8. Be ambitious – Try something new, set new goals, and don’t limit yourself. While earning badges, you learn to try new things to work towards an end result. This lesson can easily be transferred to adult life. You never know what is around the corner, waiting for you. When you find out, have courage and be ambitious.
9. Keep track of things, such as your accomplishments, and hard work – As I completed my Gold Award, it was key that I kept track of anything and everything, including my accomplishments. Looking back, I felt proud seeing where I had been and what I had accomplished, and it doesn’t hurt to look at my progress nowadays. This carries over to also being organized and keeping important documents, bills, mementos, and other papers that may come in handy later on.

Girl Scouts will always be one of the favorite things I did during my childhood. Along with all the memories gained, the lessons hold a special place in my heart and can still be used whenever I need them.