Everything from movies, music, books, tv, stories from friends and family, basically-everything and everyone as you grow up tells you how amazing being in your twenties is. Parties, getting your own place, no curfew, no parents, no kids yet, being in your twenties is always described as one big party.
I disagree. Not that I don’t have fun and not that I don’t love being in twenties, because I do. But it has been much more stressful and hard than anyone or anything let’s on when you grow up. In my experience (and the experiences of those around me) it is an endless string of trying to find out who you are and what you want to do with the rest of your life, and then the struggle of actually trying to get there. It is early mornings and late nights at crappy jobs and working your ass off to make ends meet. It’s being treated like an adult when you’re doing well or you’ve impressed someone and being treated like an incompetent child the second you screw up. It’s bills and rent and debt and job applications and classes and just trying to make it through the week.
Your twenties is the years you spend not partying 24/7, but trying to set yourself up for your thirties. I partied a lot from like, 18-19 and a little bit after 21. Now when I “party” it isn’t even a party-just a few friends over at my house for cheap beer/cheap bottles of rum (depending on everyone’s preference) while we watch a movie or play a game of some kind. I still have a good time, but it’s nothing like what you grow up expecting your twenties to be. I’m not complaining, I’m not at all upset that my life isn’t one big party, because that means that I am actually being a responsible, mature adult and setting myself up for my future.
Most of my conversations with my friends are about things like “I graduated from college but I can’t find a job in my field” and “This really huge life decision didn’t work out, I don’t know what to do!” and “I’m applying everywhere/I’m tired of these pointless part time jobs” or “Between work and school I’m exhausted and don’t have time to hang out this week, but soon!” I mean, at least I’m surrounding by people who are also trying to get their lives together, but man this is not what I expected.
But I think that this is more of an accurate depiction of what everyone experiences, and that everything else romanticizes it through rose-colored glasses as something to be excited for and to look back on fondly. I love my life, I really do. I could tweak a few things, but when it comes down to it I am very very happy and extremely blessed. But mostly I can’t wait for the years when me and all my friends have our lives together and get to work normal people hours and don’t have to struggle by on part-time pay checks.
Learning How To Really Live My Life 