I remember being a freshman in college and feeling like the world was at my feet. I remember shaking my head when I heard stories about the way other people in their mid-20s were living their lives because foolishly, I thought I would have so much more figured out by the time I reached that age. I envisioned all of the amazing opportunities that would come my way and all of the success I would have... Until I got here. Now, at the age of 27, I can tell you five things I've learned about the reality of being in your late 20s:
1. Your life is not at all what you envisioned it would be seven years ago.
Whether you pictured yourself traveling the world, being wildly successful career-wise, having a picture perfect family with a beautiful home, or all of the above, it's most likely not what your reality is. At a younger age, we tend to overlook the steps we have to take in order to reach our destinations. The problem with that is the overwhelming feeling of disappointment that comes along with it.
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2. Your dream job isn’t as close as you thought it would be.
I think I pictured myself as a published novelist at this point in my life. I dreamed of the stories I would write and the people I would inspire along the way because that sounds realistic, doesn't it? Somehow, I overlooked the fact that I would need to work full-time to pay my bills and also find the time to write my heart out and become a published author. Well, not to anyone's surprise, it's much more difficult than I imagined it would be.
3. You finally realize what it means to be “stressed out” (and it’s far worse than the stress you felt during finals week in college).
There's a level of anxiety that hits you when you pass the age of 25. Suddenly, you become very aware of time and how little you have of it. When people say, "The days go slow but the years go fast," they're telling the truth. I'm convinced time literally moves faster the older you get and it sucks - big time. It makes you realize that you don't have the time you thought you would to figure out your life and make your dreams come true. I feel like I woke up one morning with this voice in the back of my mind that repeats the words "now or never" over and over again, and it's not going away anytime soon.
4. The first verse of the ‘Friends’ theme song is actually your life:
"So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job's a joke, you're broke
Your love life's D-O-A
It's like you're always stuck in second gear. Oh, when it hasn't been your day your week, your month, or even your year..."
5. Money becomes a BIG issue.
Before I graduated college, I managed to convince myself that by the time I reached my late-20s, I would have "upper-class kind of money." I thought I would have my student loans paid off and wouldn't have to worry about anything financially. Of course, I was wrong and quickly entered the harsh reality of being an adult: just imagine student loans, rent, utilities, groceries, health/dental bills, credit card bills, and everything in between slowly but surely trying to drown you..
6. Don't bother trying to "hang" anymore, it won't work.
Remember how you spent your weeks in college? Twisted Tuesday, Thirsty Thursday, and binge drink Friday and Saturday?? Yeah, those were the days but trust me when I say they are LONG gone. You can't stay out until 4 a.m. anymore without wanting to spend the rest of the week buried in a hole somewhere.
7. It's okay if you don't have it all figured out yet...
The most important lesson that I've learned so far is that you're not supposed to have your life figured out by this age. Honestly, I don't know that anybody ever has it "all figured out," but even so, you tend to feel painfully far away from it at times when you're this young. You might not have the perfect job, the perfect apartment or house, you might still be living with your parents, not doing very well financially, you might still be trying to figure out what your true passions are in life and what career you want to pursue. It took me a while to get here but I've finally realized how wonderful life can be while I'm still figuring it out. I've learned to stop comparing myself and my life to others, because we're all on different pages in our own stories, and it doesn't make sense to be aligned with anybody else. So, if you ever feel like you're falling behind everyone else around you, trust me when I say you're not. You're just not seeing their whole story, and they can't see yours either. You get to be the author of your own life, so write what you want and try to enjoy every minute of it.
Additional Sources:
https://www.google.com/search?q=jessica+day+talks+about+money&client=ms-android-att-us&prmd=vin&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjwP-kyLbSAhVBJMAKHaCwDwIQ_AUICCgC&biw=360&bih=512#tbm=isch&q=jake+peralta+gifs&*&imgrc=aO8XOt9s775OBM:
https://www.google.com/search?q=jessica+day+talks+about+money&client=ms-android-att-us&prmd=vin&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjwP-kyLbSAhVBJMAKHaCwDwIQ_AUICCgC&biw=360&bih=512#tbm=isch&q=leslie+knope+hungover&*&imgrc=RCHHko3FPucxkM:
