Ever since we were kids we were told about how tough adult life would be but no one tells you exactly how tough! There are some life lessons only time can teach you and that’s what happens once you’ve finished college, started having mid-life-crisis-like thoughts, figuring your future plans out, trying to maintain relationships, etc. Here are life lessons that we all learn in our 20s:
1) Friends last longer than partners!
There might have been times when you chose that high school lover over your friends and family, only to prove them right. Remember, it’s your friends that you made in school and college that you call at 4 a.m. and your family that supports you like a pillar, when you’re going through an ugly break-up or a life crisis.
2) It’s OKAY to be alone.
Roaming around alone was kind of looked down upon when you were in school but hey, when in the adult world, it’s one of the biggest signs of maturity and you may even start to enjoy that alone time! But again, being alone is totally different from being lonely.
3) Lonely is a state of mind.
Yes, talking about being lonely, everyone needs someone they can depend on, especially when you’re an adult. And being a dependent person doesn’t make you any weaker. From what I believe, if you’re dependent then that means you’re brave enough to let yourself go. Again, if you’re independent, the world has already told you that you’re strong!
4) Having just two friends doesn’t make you a loser.
It’s not easy to keep in touch with all those gazillion friends you made/knew throughout school. There are times when your Facebook news feed might look like it’s filled with strangers who were once your friends but now there is nothing familiar about them. Don’t worry! It’s always quality over quantity! We can’t all be Taylor Swift, right?
5) The exaggerated “quarter-life crisis”.
I have pointed this out at least twice in the post and that’s because there are times you feel like there is nothing going right for you. If things are stagnant now, then they will be like this forever or if you’re stuck in a job you hate, you will be stuck there forever. NO, this is not true and things change because time is the biggest healer. Everyone goes through patches like this, and so you have people who are ALSO going through the same thing. So chill!
6) The “what ifs”.
This is one condition that we have had throughout our lives, and so it’s quite generalised and so yes, the “what ifs” in these years are crucial. The what if I don’t fall in love; what if I lose my job; what if I don’t make it big; what if I run into that b*tch who made my school life hell; or something else along those lines. They make you doubt yourself but don’t let them. Why? Because, half the things we imagine never happen!
7) Maintaining that weight isn’t easy!
With mommy and daddy far away, you take the one thing you got easy, for granted – food! Yeah, you might cook now and then, and eat outside frequently, but in the long run, it might become one of the biggest issues of your life.
8) People change!
You will run into friends and exes from the past and wonder how they’ve changed so much and they will also think the same about you. Our 20s are what mould us into what we are actually supposed to be. Not everyone is themselves in school or college due to peer pressure and we all know how pressing that can be!
9) Use and throw is a way of the world.
Yup, you’ve come across these people in school, college or somewhere else and guess what, the number will only increase as you get older. Not many will be friends with you because of your kindness, or hire you because they want you to benefit or even smile at you because they want to make you feel good. The use-and-throw is very sadly the way of the world!
10) You will look back at life – quite often.
We all learn from our past, which doesn’t necessarily mean our past mistakes. Looking back at the good times will inspire you and looking back at the bad ones will push you. Either way, you will be quite proud of yourself for having made it through it all!
11) Letting go.
Regrets aren’t bad, but repeatedly regretting is. You’ve drifted apart from your BFF, close family members over the past few years, or not told that one person how much you loved them. Whatever it might be, not everyone gets second chances and it’s OKAY! Life goes on…
12) Your parents need you!
It might be annoying when they keep flashing on your phone, calling to check on you and sometimes being too nosy. But remember, they are the reason why you are where you are. It won’t hurt to let them know that you care every once in a while. They might not show it but now it’s their time to be needy.
13) Stop TRYING to make friends.
If you feel like you HAVE to make friends to actually fit in somewhere then perhaps you are mistaken. It’s not a class where all of you have just joined together. There will be colleagues who have been there longer than you have and they have their own bond. Don’t expect them to bond the same way with you.
14) Experiments only lead to wisdom.
That time when you did something you had never done before – it might not be often, and it might not be as great as you’d expected it to be but it added to some kind of self-growth. It can also be the entire load of guys you’ve hooked up with just for fun, hoping that one of them might be the one. It’s not wrong, it’s just that you’re looking for the right thing or rather, the right person to come along!
15) Life is beautiful!
Amongst all those nights you spend curled up in your bed, or partying it up with your friends, you know somewhere deep down – life is beautiful. You have a long way to go. It maybe a tough journey but you’ll figure it out!
Don’t go crying to your mama ’cause you’re on your own in the real world
Share some life lessons that you learnt in your 20s with us!