We all know life is too short, just like we all know Shakira is beautiful.

As I have gotten older, I realize I regret more of the things I did not do than what I did do.

I regret not playing baseball in high school more than I regret getting in a fight in eighth grade for peeing on my friend’s shoe in the restroom after lunch.

We were punished with four days of in-school suspension for the incident, or four days of Purgatory, as I like to call it.

So let me get to the point: since life is short, take advantage of every opportunity you can.

See that beautiful young lady walking into your class listening to Katy Perry? Ask her out.

She may even say yes, and who does not like Katy Perry? Even Kim Jong-Un listens to her.

Now let me give a personal story about taking an advantage of an opportunity.

Last year I was asked if I wanted to be next year’s sports editor at The Flor-Ala. I was excited, but I had my doubts that I would be able to manage a second job.

Going to school full-time, working 40 hours per week and writing one or two stories per week as a student writer was already tough enough, I thought.

But then I said to myself, “What the Sam Leviticus Hill? I’ll do it because at least it will look good on my resume.”

I will be honest, I have been crazy busy this year due to my duties with the paper, my other job, my schoolwork and my internship.

I have spent a lot of late nights working, leading to me not being able to go dunk on my friends in pick up basketball throughout the week. OK, you got me; I cannot dunk on a regular goal, but on a Little Tikes goal, I am like a young Vince Carter.

Although I have been incredibly busy this year, I have also never had so much fun as I have this year.

I love my job at the paper. Having a job watching sports is pretty freaking sweet.

Whether it has been meeting former Heisman Trophy winner Mike Garrett, mentioning my bae Shakira in every editorial, getting to interview T.I. or going to the College Football Hall of Fame for free, none of this would have been possible if I did not say yes to this job.

As a journalism major, I have learned a tremendous amount and gained a lot of experience that will help me a ton when I am trying to get a job after graduation.

As much as I love being a librarian at the Muscle Shoals Public Library and the Dewey Decimal System, I do not want to work there forever.

Barring any drastic events, at the end of May I am moving to Baltimore (yes, Swaggy P and his alter ego Emilio Tarantino are leaving), which is bittersweet because I grew up in Florence and my friends here are awesome.

It just so happens my lease to my house is up at the end of May and since my mom lives in Baltimore, I figured I would take advantage of this opportunity to live in a big city with plenty of resources.

Hopefully, this will lead me to taking my talents to South Beach because nobody loves warm weather, the beach and Spanish-speaking women more than this guy.

Life may be short, but it is a gift full of opportunities. Take them. Live.