As my 20th birthday quickly approaches, I have noticed myself thinking a lot about where my life is headed. I am finally not going to be a teenager anymore. I am moving on to the decade that is supposed to be the best years of my life. 20 years old used to seem so far away, yet my life has only just begun. I still have so much to look forward to; so many more milestones in life. I haven’t visited anywhere fun or exotic, I haven't had my first legal drink yet, and most importantly, I haven’t figured out what I want to do for the rest of my life.
At 20 years old we are under a lot more stress than we should be. With work, school, friends, and all of our other obligations, we often forget to leave time for ourselves. Every day feels like the same, boring routine: class, work, gym, sleep, repeat. It is really hard living such a monotonous life when we would much rather be seeing new places and experiencing new lifestyles.
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When I was in high school, I imagined that I would have my life at least somewhat together by this age. I thought I would know exactly what career I wanted to pursue. I wanted to have awesome internships that would hire me right after graduation. I hoped to get married by 26, travel the world with my husband, and eventually start a family. I had dreams, goals, and deadlines set for my life. Now, at almost 20 years old, I realize that these plans might be a little unrealistic.
As unfortunate as it is, I might not cross paths with my future husband until I am 30 years old and vacationing in another country. Maybe I will finish school, find a job, and realize ten years later that I was meant to be an art teacher. Most people my age are in the exact same boat. It makes it a little easier knowing that it is not just me, no matter how often I may feel like I’m in this alone. We switch our majors multiple times before finding one that suits us. Then once we pass all of our classes and graduate, we are left to fight for ourselves in this tough world. We might go through various phases, just trying to figure out what our purpose is.
It is normal to feel lost. If this happens to you, instead of giving up, take advantage of the additional time you have. You can travel, learn something new, and explore your options. You might find a new passion if you just take your time and go with the flow. You have all the time in the world; life has only just begun. Your 20s is the only time in life when it is socially acceptable to do this. It might take a little longer than planned to figure things out, but that is okay. We'll find our way.
