Nowadays, it seems like being in your twenties is harder than ever. It’s so ridiculously easy to scroll through Instagram and compare your most mundane days with everyone else’s seemingly fabulous ones. And it’s way too easy to feel like time is ticking by and you’re not doing enough with it. However, with a little perspective, you’ll find that there is actually a lot less to worry about and that the world most definitely will not start crashing down the moment the clock strikes midnight on your twentieth birthday. Here are a few things that, contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to have perfectly in order to survive your terrible twenties.
1. School
People don’t talk about this enough, so I’m mentioning it first. It is 100% ok to change your major eight times, fail a test or two or ten, or not have a plan for post-undergrad. It’s okay to graduate college in more than four years. And it’s also okay to take a gap year that ends up lasting two. There are literally no rules to how you choose to tackle your academic endeavors, no matter what anybody else has to say about it.
2. The Stigma Of Traveling The World
It sucks when it seems like everyone you know is posting pictures from a new country every week. The truth is, traveling is just hard and life tends to get in the way sometimes. I’ve learned the most important thing to do is genuinely enjoy the time you do spend on vacation, whether it be a day trip or an all inclusive getaway. Take in every ray of sunshine, laugh, and memory, because you don’t have to constantly be away to experience how awesome this world really is.
3. Finances
At this age, you’ll find that levels of experience range. Some people have never encountered a budget, while others are so financially independent you’d think they invented the concept. As long as you’re responsible and aware of how you spend your money, chances are you’re not going to have to declare bankruptcy Michael Scott style before your thirtieth.
4. Internships/Career Plans
Everyone has dreams, but not everyone dreams about their future job with crystal clarity. It’s hard feeling like everyone around you has a passion that they’re constantly making strides towards when you’re still figuring it all out. While it undoubtedly seems like all your friends have unbelievable internships and cool research positions and you’re just stuck in a rut, remember that you’re not competing against anyone but yourself. Your big break WILL come.
5. Fashion
Everyone’s broke in their twenties (see #3). While it’s true some people dress to impress, the majority of the population won’t look down on you if you’ve worn your favorite mom jeans three times this week. Odds are, they won’t even notice. So wear what you want, even if you haven’t quite found your signature sense of style yet.
6. The Perfect Relationship
Romance is literally everywhere and it can sometimes seem like more of a stressor than something to look forward to. This is something that you truly have to let fall into place, otherwise you will go nuts. If dating around makes you happy, try it out. If being single is the move, embrace it. If you’re currently heartbroken, let yourself be and know that it will pass one day. There’s no rush to find “The One” quite yet, especially when they are probably just as helpless trying to navigate through their twenties as you are.