Turning 18 is the beginning of new things in life. For most, it’s about going off to college, dealing with student loans and being an adult for the first time.

There are also some fun firsts – including buying your very first lottery ticket.

We all want to try our hand at winning money, but usually it’s a lesson in how you should have saved your money.

But for the just turned 18-year-old Juliette Lamour, it turned out that her first ticket was the luckiest thing about turning 18. And she has her grandfather to thank for her $48 million Canadian dollars ($36 million US dollars) now in her bank. 

Lamour told reporters that “my grandfather suggested I buy a lottery ticket for fun.”

She had no idea, she said, what to do and “wasn’t sure what to ask for.” But she made her choice, and did she ever choose wisely.

When she met with lottery officials, Lamour told them she had forgotten about the purchase of her LOTTO 6/49 ticket. But then she heard a winner had been found in her city and remembered about the ticket. So the college student asked a friend at work to check the ticket’s results.

Her answer came swiftly: “My colleague fell to his knees in disbelief. He was yelling, in fact everyone was yelling that I won $48 million!” she recalled.

I didn’t understand what was going on at first. I couldn’t process this news. We kind of made a scene in the store that day!”

Juliette Lamour receives her check for her lotto winnings.

She raced home to tell her parents, crying so much that her mom “couldn’t understand what was going on.”

“Thankfully my dad was able to piece together that I won the lottery jackpot!” she said

And just like a mother would, Lamour’s told her to stay and finish her shift, despite her boss telling her she could have the day off. 

She is considered the youngest person to win that large of a jackpot in Canadian history, lottery officials said in a press release.

The young woman still plans to carry on with her dream of becoming a doctor – and that money will help her fulfill that.

I wanted to go to medical school before winning the lottery. Now I can pursue this dream without worrying about grants or loans,” Lamour said.

But she said she hasn’t forgotten about the fun side of winning that much money.

“Once school is done, my family and I will pick a continent and start exploring,” said. “I am not a ‘sit on the beach’ type of person. I want to experience different countries, study their history and culture, try their food, and listen to their language.”

She said she knew how important having her family with her on this journey was.

“While I am so excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, I feel comforted knowing I am surrounded by the grounding love of my family,” she said. “They will be with me on every step of this incredible journey.”

But the most important thing Lamour said is that she “I really wants to come back to this area as a doctor so I can give back to my community.”

Watch below as Lamour receives her oversized check from lottery officials.

Sources: People | Good Morning America