Last weekend, I turned 31. I can’t say I loved reaching that number. For the first time, I’m starting to accept that living forever might be just outside my reach. Maybe. In any case, here’s 31 things I’ve learned from my time on Earth thus far.

After five years of struggle and anguish, rage and joy, heartbreak and delight, I hit ‘send’ on my PhD thesis. The second after my finger lifted from the mouse, I started shouting, dancing around my apartment like an absolute idiot. I’m sure it was alarming to my neighbors. And I could not care less.

For those thinking about or currently in a PhD, there were many lessons along the way, but here are the 5 most important.