About two weeks ago, I experienced the passing of a milestone- a rite of passage, if you will. I said good-bye to my teen years and hello to adulthood. I turned twenty.
Okay, maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but I firmly believe that your twenties have the potential to be some of the best years of your life. This isn’t to say that being forty sucks, but your twenties are your time to live for yourself and for no one else. And some of the best and biggest events can happen in your twenties. You could get your first big person job. You could move thousands of miles away from a place you’ve always known as home. You could even meet the love of your life.
Turning twenty has got me thinking- what do I want to accomplish in the next ten years? What are going to be the most memorable moments of my twenties? So in my true fashion, I’ve compiled a list of 25 Things To Do In Your Twenties (because twenty things just wasn’t enough)!
Fall in love
Yeah, we’re starting with the deep stuff. And before you start saying, “twenty is far too young of an age to be falling in love,” don’t forget that being twenty-nine means your twenties. Allowing yourself to open up to someone enough to be real and vulnerable with them prompts a sense of maturity and can even lead to falling even deeper in love with the person you are.
Start a Family
A family doesn’t always mean children. But I wouldn’t mind having a child in my late twenties. I want to want to go on adventures with my family and see the world through a lens similar to theirs.
Be someone’s Maid of Honor
In my twenty years of life, I’ve only been to one wedding- and I wasn’t even a year old. Weddings are large parties celebrating a new union, and I want to experience one first hand. Even more so, I want to be a part of one. Being someone’s Maid of Honor not only means they trust me enough to put one of the biggest days of their life in my hands, but it’s also a sign of true friendship.
Move to a new city
I attend classes at a university two hours away from my hometown. And while I consider this, in part, where I live, I’m still very much at home in my parents house. Moving away from home, and on my own, is a very adult step, and it seems right for someone in their twenties.
Live abroad
At this point in my life, I’ve been abroad once on a family vacation. While the phrase “live abroad” may seem daunting, I’d even consider a few months on a trip through my university as a “live abroad” experience. There’s just something exciting about living out of your comfort zone, surrounded by a culture that isn’t your own, that’s appealing to me.
Travel cross country
I’ve been to several cities around America, but I’ve never taken one trip from coast to coast. I want to see the World’s Largest Ball of Twine and the Space Needle, and live off of nothing but gas station hot dogs for two weeks. I guess I’d be okay without that last one, but there’s so much more to America than the Statue of Liberty and I want to see it all.
Travel with friends
Speaking of adventures, what greater and wilder adventure could there be than traveling with your friends. Whenever my friends and I are together, we always have a good time. And I can’t think of better people to make memories in a new place with than them.
Graduate university
A university degree is something that’s been on my bucket list since I was a young girl. The thought of finally graduating is scary, but I know that once I’m there, it’ll be one of my proudest accomplishments.
Publish a book
This, to me, is the ultimate dream. When I read a book, I’m immersed in a new world with characters I learn to love (or hate). I want to emulate that same feeling for others. So be looking out for my newest novel- to be released in a bookstore near you…hopefully within the next ten years.
Work for a cause
Nothing drives a person like passion. Whether that be decreasing hunger in the world or working on education reform, finding a cause to fight for is a part of discovering who you are. Your twenties seem a good a time as any to maybe change the world.
Meet someone you admire
How amazing would it be to get to interview Muzoon Almellehan or Ashley Graham about their lives- what their biggest accomplishment has been or what their favorite breakfast food is? They might even be able to help you take a step in the right direction, if it’s their footsteps you want to follow.
Learn about finances
I’m a writer- and not to give in to the stereotype, but I know virtually nothing about taxes or investing or any of that stuff. But I’d like to learn. How else am I going to be self-sufficient?
Learn to play a new instrument
Once I saw a television show where the main character could play over ten different instruments. I told myself I wanted to be that girl. Now I’ve got ten years to learn. Two down…several more to go.
Learn a new language (and use it)
A lot of schools make their students learn a foreign language as a graduation requirement. But when it’s mandatory, it’s usually in one ear and out the other. I want to learn Greek or Arabic- and speak it anywhere and everywhere.
Become an expert at something
There are a few things I would say I’m good at. But there’s not really one thing I would say I’m an expert at. Maybe I’ll take up sewing or learn every single country capital. If anything, at least I’ll have a new fun fact or party trick for others.
Pull an all-nighter
For school or for fun, it doesn’t really matter. I mostly just want to do this to say I’ve done it. I’ve heard the craziest things happen after 2 a.m.
Start a collection
Every time I travel somewhere new, I try to snag a magnet from a souvenir shop. But half of them get lost in my room and never even make it to my refrigerator. I want to start a collection that takes up an entire bookshelf- something I tell all my children’s friends about, no matter how often they roll their eyes.
Go to a music festival
Hours upon hours of my favorite bands, in a new city, with fans just as enthusiastic as me? Sign me up!
Watch an NBA basketball game- LIVE
Basketball is my favorite sport. But I’ve never been game- outside of my brothers recreational ones. I’d love the chance to cheer from the stands and not just from my sofa.
Watch the Times Square Ball drop- LIVE
I remember staying up as a child and watching the ball drop on my living room television in my family’s small apartment. And ever since then I’ve always wanted to be in Times Square for the big event. Sure it may be cold and crowded, which is why my twenties may be the only time I’d be willing to put up with an idea like this.
Do something scary
Swimming with sharks, traveling through a safari, ski diving- you name it. The world is full of crazy opportunities, and I want to be bold enough to try a few.
Do something alone
In a lot of ways, this can be the same thing as doing something scary. As independent as I like to say I am, almost every big decision I’ve made, I’ve followed through with someone by my side. But certain experiences, like saying “yes” to a job in a different country or leaving your college friends behind, are choices you need to make on your own. And while it may be scary, these experiences are a part of what make your life yours.
Treat Yo’ Self
To many people my age, eating out instead of making ramen at home is how we treat ourselves. But with making my own money- and maybe a good amount of it- I might actually have the chance to fully treat myself. Being able to occasionally splurge on myself without having to worry about breaking the bank, is a comfort I can soon hopefully enjoy.
Watch the sunrise with good friends
This simple action may not seem worthy enough for a list like this. But it’s actually something I’ve wanted to do for many years now. I want to be so close to a group of people that their company and the sign of a new day is enough for me.
Be happy
I could be making less money than my best friend. I could still be living in a small one-bedroom apartment with a pet cat. I could be on my fifth big girl job, still on a quest for my purpose in life. But if I’m happy with the person I’ve become, then that’s all that really matters.
And that’s it! What did you think of my list? Leave a comment below let me know if there were any that you want to do too. And stay tuned to see if I accomplish all of these things in the next ten years!
samanthasabio 