10 lessons you’ll learn in your early twenties
When you were a teenager, you probably couldn’t wait to grow up and get out of your parents’ house so you could be independent and set your own rules.
But as an adult, you wish you’d made the most of your carefree days because with freedom comes responsibility.
You’ll have to manage your time, learn that money is hard to earn and your years will be fraught with a lot of trial and error.
And a lot of successes and failure.
In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest tells a lady sitting next to him that life is like a box of chocolate because you never know what you’ll get out of it. And it’s true, there are some things in life we never see coming. Some will be pleasant surprises and others will be unexpected setbacks.
Here are a few lessons you’ll probably learn in your twenties.
Your vehicle
A bad car is like a bad relationship. It nags, wastes your money, is unreliable and breaks down in the most unexpected places. And when this happens, it’s best to replace it immediately. When you’re starting out in life, you may not be making tons of money to afford the latest model, but you can still find a car that won’t give you problems along the way. You may find it more affordable to buy a secondhand vehicle from a dealership or from someone you know. But you should make sure you use a car book value calculator to find out what the real value of the car is before you purchase it.
Save and add a few cents to your bank account
The sooner you start saving, the easier it’ll be to grow your retirement fund. Many people procrastinate and put off saving until it’s too late.
Money doesn’t grow on trees
If you don’t manage your spending, you may find yourself avoiding private numbers because you’re scared it’s the debt collector. When you’re in your twenties you should avoid living beyond your means. Buy what you can afford, pack lunch for work, and don’t live extravagantly.
Crossroads
It’s okay to experiment in your twenties and change careers because you’re miserable at your current job. Perhaps you chose your current career because you were pressured by your parents or maybe you thought that particular career was going to be groundbreaking. But as it turns out, you’re not happy. Your twenties are the perfect time to redefine your path because you don’t want to live with regrets.
Accommodation
When you’re first starting out, you may not be able to afford a glass house overlooking the beach. But you still have other options. You can live in a commune or rent out a flat, depending on your preference. Or you can save money and live at home.
Mistakes
You’ll make a lot of mistakes in your twenties, but you shouldn’t let that define you. When you were a baby, you first had to crawl before you could walk. For example, you might make financial mistakes along the way which cause you to move back into your parents’ house. Don’t let these mistakes define you, dust yourself off and try again.
Take care of your body
You may think you’ll always have flawless, youthful skin, but the decisions you make in your twenties will have repercussions later on in your life. Wash your face before you go to bed, don’t sleep with makeup on and invest in sunscreen.
Eat healthy
Eat your veggies and fruits and they could prolong your life. Eating the right foods could reduce the chances of you getting a chronic disease, regulate your health and help you become more productive.
Learn to cook
Living alone in your twenties means you have to put on your grown up pants and learn to be more responsible. Sooner or later, you’ll get tired of microwave meals and cold pizza and you’ll invest in a cookbook. Eating junk food can become tiring and you get to a point where you want some good old homemade food.
Travel
When you’re older and have more responsibilities, it might not be easy to just get up and go. But your early twenties is the perfect time to travel around the world and get to know yourself because you have little responsibility. Bungee jump at Victoria falls, ride a camel in Abu Dhabi or try chicken butt barbeque sticks in Taiwan. Make the most of your twenties. After all, if you don’t travel in your twenties, you won’t have stories to share when you’re older.
Your twenties is a time of transformation, meeting new people and getting to know yourself. You’ll encounter a lot of ups and downs and you’ll feel like you’re on a rollercoaster. You’ll have to make small and big decisions. Sometimes you’ll get it right and other times you’ll end up cringing. But mistakes are a learning curve and there’s no perfect formula to live your life.