The day I turned twenty, quite honestly, I was really sad. It was a moment of realization that I was no longer a teenager, and I had to start putting my life together. Thinking about my future, how I was going to support myself, what jobs would make me happy, how the relationships in my life are affecting me. And the biggest thing I questioned was ‘am I turning into the person my younger self would be proud of?’. After thinking about my own questions, and figuring out how to navigate being twenty (somewhat), I came up with a few things I have learned since I turned 20…
Be kind to everyone you meet
Everyone is struggling in his or her own way, be the one to brighten another person’s day.
Try not to stress about what others think of you
Totally easier said than done, I know. But I swear as soon as you focus more on what makes you happy instead of ways to impress others, you will automatically become a happier person. People are going to judge you no matter what, so just focus on yourself and do what makes you happy!
Your interests will change, and that’s OK!
The more you grow and learn, the more your own individual interests will change. It’s all apart of growing as a person. Take time to develop new interests, you never know where they could lead you to.
If you aren’t comfortable with what is happening, stop!
Now this applies to many different things. Dating, School, Work… etc. In terms of dating, being twenty is a blessing and a curse. You have a pool of eligible bachelors/bachelorettes to pick from, and everyone more or less is in the same situation as you, it’s just a trial and error kind of thing. But as soon as you’re in a relationship that you aren’t comfortable having, it’s ok to end it and move on. When it comes to work and school, again being 20 is a blessing and a curse. You have ample amount of opportunities to explore, but that also means that you have to pick something! If you aren’t happy with your job, your major, or your level of schooling – take a step back, reconsider what you really want, take time to determine what makes you happy and try again!
Take as many opportunities as you can
This year I have proven to myself that opportunities can lead to something so amazingly unexpected in your life. When I was 17 and graduating from highschool, getting me to sit down and write anything was a battle, I hated writing. Now I’m in my third year of university studying English and writing for Her Campus. Opportunities could open doors to an interest you never knew you had, explore as much as you can.
It is OK to be a little selfish
When I say selfish, I don’t mean become a self-centered person and disregard other people and their feelings – please don’t be that person, it isn’t exactly a very ‘becoming’ quality to have (thanks to my mom and dad for drilling that into my brain). What I mean by being selfish is do what makes you happy. Don’t worry so much about who is going to be disappointed by what you are doing, because that mentality will never lead you to TRUE happiness. Don’t worry so much about who you will upset in the process of trying to better your own life because at the end of the day, your happiness is the most important – especially at a time in your life when you are allowed to be a little selfish.
You will never get your 20’s back …
… SO enjoy them while you can!
See as much of the world as possible and go outside of your comfort zone. Take advantage of your education and what it brings to you, learn as much as you possibly can. Go out with friends, enjoy their company and be carefree every once in a while. Don’t take your twenties too seriously, just have fun and take it day by day.