Have a core of people whom you care about more than anything - who care about you and know you, and whom you know in turn. Call them your best friends or your family or both. Then go out and meet as many people as possible - make as many friends as you can. Everyone is important, everyone is different, and everyone has a story. The more people you know, the more things you learn about different cultures and different ways of thinking and different upbringings. The more you learn, the more you grow and can think for yourself. The more mature you become. So learn about as many people and as much as you can. Talk to people, and listen. Just listen. They may surprise you.