Monday, October 15, 2012

21 things about 21 years.

Thought catalog is all about lists of your twenties - what you should and shouldn't do, who you should and shouldn't do, things to remember, things to forget, etc etc etc. Lots of advice too.

Here are 21 things I have learned in my 21 years. They may or may not be of interest to you.


1. Stay fit. You are probably never going to be that much skinnier than you are now, so you might as well be fit.

2. Learn what your tolerance for alcohol is. Sloppy was cute at 17. It's not cute now.

3. Have some self respect. Chances are, you're pretty amazing. If you don't love yourself, how do you expect anyone else to?

4. Be nice to people. If you give people what they want, they'll give you what you want.

5. Learn to apply makeup. Like #2, sloppiness is tolerated in your teens. By 21 you should really have foundation down pat.

6. TRAVEL. Do it now, before mortgages and babies and paying back your student loan saps your money.

7. Be selfish. You don't yet have to cater to anybody else's needs. Enjoy it.

8. Do what you want, not what they want. There is nothing wrong with having a night in if that's what you really want. There's nothing wrong with going out on a Monday. Your call, nobody else's.

9. Learn how to be humble. You will no doubt have a job that requires you to kiss somebody's ass - your boss, your client, the receptionist. Do it graciously. Like it or not, you start at the bottom.

10. Get cultured. Read the news, read books, go to shows, listen to Newstalk ZB, whatever. Be a bit interested in the world you inhabit.

11. Say thank you. Kind of like #9, people remember gratitude. A thank you card (HANDWRITTEN) takes no more than ten minutes.

12. Don't date dicks. At this point, if you wouldn't marry them, WHY bother falling in love with them.

13. Learn how to cure a hangover. I never got them as a teenager - I do now. They SUCK.

14. Budget. We're all poor students - be poor and have nice clothes, or a cool flat or something. Don't be poor with love handles and a hangover.

15. Get rid of toxic pople. Like #12, what's the point. You know they don't make you a better person, and you don't deserve to be in that friendship out of pity, or duty or whatever.

16. Be in the moment. The moment cannot be found on Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram or Twitter.

17. Always ask, the worst thing they can say is no. If you don't ask, the answer is already no.

18. Sort your CV out. Make sure you can spell, format it nicely, stay the hell away from Comic Sans. Get some advice from a successful professional person you respect.

19. Give your money or time to causes bigger than yourself - have a goddamn conscience. You have it so good.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. Dress up, wear something a little bit ridiculous. Stick your tongue out.

21. Write. You don't have to be an obsessive journaller, but years from now it will be cool to look back and laugh at yourself.


That's my two cents (or my 21 cents). Take what you will, and add your own in the comments!!

Have a fantastical week everybody. A xxx


2 comments: