Your twenties... what a time to be alive! A time where you can express your youth (yay college) but also a time where you do a lot of growing up. Although these years may be filled with school, work and bills, you should also make room for the following things during this time period:
1. Learning how to cook
One day you will have a family, be living on a budget or wish you knew how to make something besides scrambled eggs and Velveeta shells and cheese. Make it a point to cook a different homemade meal each week. Call up a family member and learn a favorite family recipe!
2. Visiting family
If you are getting older, that means your family is, too. Make sure to visit your grandparents and hear funny stories about your parents so you can tell your kids about their grandparents. The older folks in your family have also been through their twenties and can offer lots of advice and wisdom from their experiences. Get in your car and visit them!
3. Exercising
One day (if not already) your college days will catch up with you and you will be wishing you had went to the gym a little more. Take care of your body and start what you have always wanted, whether it is a daily walk, run, squats or crunches-- you can do it!
4. Saving money
Your future self will thank you. Start setting aside a certain amount of money each month or week. Even a a little bit, like ten or twenty dollars will add up. It may be hard to start at first, but it is SO worth it. You can even talk to your bank about investing your money so you can make even more!
5. Shopping
Professional clothing, whether it is a business suit, scrubs or a heavy duty pair of boots cost A LOT of money! Get a head start and slowly start buying these things so you won't have so much to buy when you start interviewing and looking for real jobs.
6. Traveling
What better time to travel than now? If you just graduated college, you probably don't have a family or a real job yet. Take a break and take the trip of a lifetime! (You may never have the chance again). Go visit that place you have always wanted. You already have student loans to pay off... what's one or two more loans?!
7. Dating
Dating--or really just meeting people in general-- is so important during this life stage. You have to learn people's personalities and which type of people you like and get along with best. This will help you seek out friends at your new jobs and help you eventually find a spouse. You won't know who you like until you know who you don't like. Date--get to know people.
8. Strengthening your faith
It's easy to get distracted and fall short when it comes to your faith. Maybe you moved away from home and never found a new church that you really liked. Or you stay so busy with your classes, you've let your bible slip below your textbooks. If there is ever a time you need to strengthen your faith, it is now. You will make huge decisions in your twenties that you will want God's help with. Pick that bible up, start visiting local churches or just start talking and praying to God again. Any step is a step in the right direction.
9. Keeping a journal
Research shows you will remember something if you write it down. Hopefully your twenties are full of memories you will always want to remember. It is so much fun to write weekly or daily about what is going on in your life and then read through everything at the end of the year.
10. Taking your parents' names off of your bills
Let's face it. You are an adult. Get your bills put in your own name and start taking care of yourself.
11. Getting an internship
You may think doing social media for the school club you are in is enough "experience" but trust me, it is not. You do not want to be sitting in an interview and have someone tell you that to your face. Get an actual internship and learn the real world things your college classes don't teach you. It will help you grow so many skills, help you decide what you do and don't want for a career, as well as get your foot in the door for other possible jobs.
12. Going to concerts (and buying the t-shirts!)
While we are getting older, so are our favorite bands. Make sure to go see your favorite artists in concert (especially the older ones.) It is so much fun seeing and singing with these famous people in person. Grab a t-shirt on your way out to remember you saw them and to show to your kids and grandkids when "throwback" music comes back in style.
13. Making a scrapbook
Start collecting things that are important to you. A ticket to your first football game, a movie ticket stub from one of your first dates, the wristband from your 21st birthday when you met the coolest person ever. Save it all. Mix it together with some pictures to capture these moments and remember it forever.
14. Collecting family items to pass down
Whether it's jewelry, a table or a dresser, it's important to your family. It was passed down to you, and you should be keeping it to pass down to your kids. Collect as many of these things that you can, because you can't buy sentimental value at the store these days.
15. Printing your favorite pictures
One day, maybe the Internet will collapse. Or you will get logged out of your Facebook or Instagram. Print your favorite pictures and put them in photo albums to keep them safe.
16. Stop watching Netflix
This whole binge-watching a Netflix series is so unhealthy. There are so many more productive things you can be doing, like spending time outside, exercising, cooking or sleeping. Get your life together and stop participating in these unnecessary activities.
17. Taking pictures--but not too many
You will want to take pictures to remember all of these years, but you don't want to take too many. Too many pictures is when you are so stressed out about taking the perfect picture, you forget to enjoy the moment. Take pictures, but enjoy yourself, too. Maybe take pictures beforehand and then turn your phone off and get the best of both worlds.
18. Writing down important dates, addresses and phone numbers
As you get older, you will want to remember family birthdays and anniversaries to know when to send out cards. You will probably get a lot of addresses when you send out graduation announcements. Hang on to these because you will need them when it is time to send out wedding invitations in the next few years. Phone numbers are nice for when you have a quick question about a family recipe or need directions to a family event.
19. Preparing for your dream job!
This may mean buying a fancy camera, building a portfolio, starting a blog or buying other equipment. Start researching information about your dream job and take all the preparation advice you can. It's your life--live your dreams!
20. Doing more of what makes you happy
It's your life. Do what you want. Read a book, go hiking, go for a midnight drive. Watch the sunrise. Even if it is something as simple as sitting in the sunshine, do it because you want to, and because it makes you happy.
