By Lila Simmons
As this week approaches, I anticipate my 20th birthday this Friday. My birthday has always been a special time filled with heartfelt messages from family and friends; but as this year approaches, I can’t help but feel slightly anxious about officially leaving my teenage years. They say your 20s are the best years of your life full of personal growth, self-realization, and learning many valuable lessons how do I eliminate my anxiety around it? I’ve decided to start a small bucket list below, for some things I’d like to do in my 20s in hopes I’ll gain a more positive outlook on growing up with things to look forward to.
Go Camping- For real.
Growing up, every time my friends and I have tried to go camping in the past, it has turned into a huge mess. Someone always leaves the group and seeks shelter indoors, or complains about being too cold or buggy. I want to challenge myself and a group of good friends to experience camping in the realest of ways, at a campsite with no options to change it to “glamping.”
Visit a National Park
I’ve only traveled out West one time, and it was for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour (it was the only place we could get for presale). Being from Rhode Island, I was in awe of the beautiful rolling plains in Colorado and wished we could have extended our stay to visit the Rocky Mountain National Park. Since then I’ve made it a goal of mine to travel back to Dever one day and possibly carve out time for a National Parks road trip.
Go to a music festival
The hype around the Coachella music festival in the month of April always intrigued me and made me want to attend a music festival. I never wanted to attend Coachella in particular (it’s simply too mainstream now) but anything involving a multi-day affair filled with live music, festive outfits, and good food is for sure on my list.
Get good a skiing
This is a shock since UVM is notorious for its ski and snowboard club, but fun fact, I’ve only been skiing once in my life. It was never something my family got into when I was younger, and I so wish we had. A goal of mine is to make skiing a priority when I finally have enough money saved up to make it happen.
Take a solo trip
Traveling is one of my favorite hobbies of all time. I love going to new places and seeing new sights or simply just relaxing. However, all my life I’ve only ever gone on large family vacations, or trips with my friends. Don’t get me wrong these are some of the best memories I’ve ever made, but I think it’s important to see new things on your own at least once during your life. A trip entirely planned by me, for me if you will, with no worrying about family fighting, or making sure everyone is okay with the plans.
Starting this bucket list has certainly made turning 20 seem a little more doable and exciting. If you’re in the same boat as me, I hope I’ve made you feel less intimidated and more excited to start this new decade of your life.