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You Don’t Need to Subscribe to One Aesthetic; Being in Your 20’s Is Already Hard Enough

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at GCU chapter.

Being In Your 20’s is A Weird Age

Growing up, we were so excited to be young adults and have the freedom to dress, act, and live on our own terms. However, we did not expect the silent struggles that come along with that freedom. Many girls in their twenties look to each other to compare where they are in life and use it to measure where we think we should be. However, don’t fail to forget that being in your twenties is a wild decade. While some friends are getting married and having kids, others are still trying to find where they fit into the world. Some twenty-somethings have their big-girl corporate jobs, and others are just trying to make it to the weekend.

Too often, we as women, look to each other for what we should be doing or how we should be acting. When, in reality, we are all at extremely varied stages in our twenties. Looking at female peers can be a positive and motivating factor; however, we often compare ourselves in a way that results in insecurities, competition, and a feeling of unworthiness. Instead, we should be using that competitive spirit as a form of motivation to grow while continuing to build each other up for little victories. Remember, YOU are created uniquely, beautifully, and authentically yourself. Okay yes, that phrase may sound like a cliché, but it’s true.

You Do Not Need to Follow One Aesthetic

Since particular aesthetics have become trendy, girls in their twenties have become worried about posting certain photos that strictly match their social feeds. Our generation has turned from appreciating a piece of art for being aesthetically pleasing into making their life an aesthetic. While life is art and there is so much beauty within it, there is a difference between honoring the beauty in who you are and forming your life around what other people think you should be like. You are not a trend; you are authentically you and the world needs your light!

The issue with attempting to form our entire being around one aesthetic is that it can take away from who you are. People get so caught up in what society thinks is beautiful instead of honoring themselves for being created perfectly.

I am here to tell you; it is okay to not follow one aesthetic! Do not conform your life to a single aesthetic. It’s totally okay if one day you want to be artsy or cottage core and the next you want to be a baddie. You already are ‘that girl’ anyways!

Be Kind to Yourself

We hear this phrase a lot, “be kind to yourself.” But what does that even mean? Next time you look at your peers and start to compare yourself, take a deep breath and just remember that you are where you are meant to be. You are in the exact moment and season that you are meant to be living in. Your future will blossom and become all the wonderful that it is meant to be, but you must go through certain circumstances, phases, and seasons before you get there. Being kind to yourself means spending time doing what you love, surrounding yourself with people who encourage you, and not stressing if your life is not going as you had planned. Enjoy life’s journey as much as possible, love hard, and be the best version of yourself. 

Isabel was born and raised in Southern California and is currently a senior at Grand Canyon University. She is a first generation college student, majoring in marketing and advertising and minoring in graphic design. She is passionate about marketing, journalism, interior decorating, dancing, yoga, and coffee. She loves spending time with her friends, two dogs, and family! Isabel is a Dunkin' Donuts enthusiast but often finds herself in niche coffee shops around different cities. She loves the city and desires to travel while creating a positive impact on people's lives.