Wednesday, November 7, 2012

YOTO- You Only Twenties Once.

I turned 20 just a few months before I began my European adventure. Obviously, this has been a great decade so far! I stumbled upon this article during my time in Dublin, and if you're in your 20s, I think it is worth a read!

CHECK OUT THE LIST IN THE LINK BELOW!
21 Ways You Should Take Advantage of Your 20s

I don't love all of it, but most of it is pretty solid advice. My favorites are:
(Note, I didn't attach ALL 21 points from the article, just my favorites!)
 
1. Don’t feel the need to respond to every text message, phone call, and email the second it reaches you. Once upon a time, it took longer than a minute to reach someone. People used stamps and envelopes; they had answering machines they didn’t check for hours, sometimes days. No one will die if you don’t immediately respond to every message you receive.
 
2. Ask for what’s owed to you. Half the time, you’re not getting your needs met because you’re not making them known. Your employers, romantic interests, and friends are not going to read your mind and give you what you need unless you speak up.

4. If you’re unhappy and someone offers you a way out, take it. You don’t owe your first job years of loyalty and your first-born; you don’t have to stay in your city just because you’re on a first-name basis with the bodega guy. Do what feels right; the initial fear will give way to excitement. 

7. Play a sport you played in elementary school. Kickball, dodgeball. There are leagues for these games now. Get on it.

8. Learn how to cook. Here’s an idea — instead of spending all your money on ridiculously marked-up restaurant food, save your money by buying non-processed WHOLE FOODS and LEARNING HOW TO MAKE A MEAL OF REAL FOOD. You’ll thank yourself for learning how to cook when your metabolism catches up to you.

9. Keep making friends. You know yourself better than you ever have before, and your friends can finally reflect that.


11. Stay up late. In your 20s, you’re all, “Let’s go to another bar!” “Who wants to eat at a diner?” “Have you guys seen the sun rise from the High Line?” “In this moment I swear we were infinite!” 

14. STOP PROCRASTINATING YOUR TRIP ABROAD. YOUR CHANCES OF TAKING A LONG VACATION ABROAD DIMINISH AS YOU BECOME MORE SET IN YOUR WAYS AND AS YOU GAIN MORE RESPONSIBILITY.

17. Sit down, unplug, and read non-fiction. Do this daily. None of your peers are doing it. They’re playing video games and refreshing Facebook and Gmail chatting about nothing in particular. After a month you’ll be smarter than all of them.

18. Walk into Forever 21 and grab every single crappily-made floral dress available. Is every other girl on the street wearing it? Is it literally falling apart at the seams? Is it also actually five dollars? BUY IT IMMEDIATELY. When you get older, you will be a classy human ready to take on the future with pantsuits and blazers. But as long as you’re still in your 20s? You know—the demographic of Forever 21? Game on.

21. Go to/host theme parties. Once people age out of their 20s, no one’s trying to wear pajamas or togas out of the house. The only theme parties that exist after your 20s are ‘Wedding,’ ‘Baby Shower,’ and ‘Funeral.’


10 comments:

  1. There only 11 here? Otherwise a good list so far :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Vita! I just listed my 11 favorites. You can find the link to the article with all 21 under "CHECK OUT THE LIST HERE!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! Nice list... I'll keep this in mind! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice job kiddo (don't feel bad I call anyone 6 minutes younger than me kiddo)! I'm about to hit 25 and living this list is why my friends of all ages never call me the boring one. One thing: 30-somethings love to throw theme parties (the don't usually work out so well. Firenze is beautiful I got to spend a weekend there when I went to visit my Aunt in Switzerland for my first graduation present in 2010. Ciao, bella!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sigh. I'm well out of my 20s and your list is spot on. I wish that I had read this years ago when I was still in my 20s. Enjoy this decade. Things can change SIGNIFICANTLY in your 30s.

    ReplyDelete
  6. so true ! i am 27. about to be 28 in 2 weeks!! i still feel 20 tho and still get carded every dang where i go hahah i take it as a blessing . i feel young and vibrant and don't look at turning 30 in just a few short years as anything to worry about haha 30 is the new 20 right ? i was married at 20 and couldn't even drink yet! ha! then had 2 children that are now 5 & 4 and we are living it UP! being young wild & free LOL! i LOVE being young with my kids <3 my 20's have been the best and craziest of my life .. and they arent over yet!!! YAY!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. so true ! love all of these. it's really helpful to read them... they are perfect. www.heartandthrift.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Almost and I mean almost makes me wish I had waited to have kids. Im 24 with a 4 and a half year old, 16 month old, and 3 month old (all girls). But I will be able to have fun in my 30s and enjoy my kids.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I absolutely love this post. I run a website called empoweringwomennow.com, would I have your permission to use this blog post? You will be given full credit and a link back to this page.

    ReplyDelete