So yesterday, I officially turned 20. It still hasn't hit me yet that I'm no longer considered in my teens, which is weird since it's been so long. On the one hand, I was happy - I mean who doesn't love celebrating their birthday. On the other, it got me thinking what exactly does it mean to be twenty. There are obviously certain ages that people consider to be milestones in one life and usually when we think of 20s, it is 21 that comes to mind. But I wanted to try and think of some things that would be special to me know that I'm twenty.
No More Teens
I no longer have teen attached to my age. Now realistically it's not a huge thing, but it's still nice to think about.
Taken Seriously
This ties in with no longer being a teen. I don't feel older but I know I'll be treated that way. Plus, no longer having to tack on teen to the end of my age I guess comes with a certain level of maturity and people can't claim I'm just a kid or teen anymore.
Study Abroad
It's my junior year, so I really want to try and study abroad. It's been a dream of mine for a while and now I want to try and make it come true. My dream is to go to Europe so maybe it'll come true now.
21 Count Down
This one is a bit of a gag more then anything. Drinking was never something that really appealed to me legal or otherwise. But knowing that legally I have the option is just fun to think about.
Fun and Wild
So many shows and movies seem to promote the twenties as the most carefree and wild time of someone’s life. Guess I get to find out how much of that is true.
21 Planning
Tying in with letting loose and being wild. Everyone dreams of having the most outrageous and just fun 21st birthday. Whether it's hanging out with friends or heading to Vegas, it is so fun to plan out. Just the fantasy alone is enough to get anyone exciting about the big 21.
License
This might seem a bit odd to some but it's true. I still don't have my license because I've just put it off every time. I'm gonna do my best to really go for it this time around.
Free Stuff
This has less to do with being 20 specifically, and more just with bdays in general. Birthdays come with so many perks like getting that extra cash or free food at restaurants.
Half and Half
You are young enough to enjoy the perks that come with just being out of your teens. Can still be wild and act immature sometimes. But also old enough that when the situation counts, people will treat you like an adult and take you seriously.
School
This is both a positive and a negative. Positive in that school (College) is one more year form being over. Unless you plan to go to graduate school. That means no more homework assignments, sucking up to teachers and worrying about getting good grades. It also means that I have one more year to figure out what I’m going to do without my degree. Replacing teachers with bosses and homework with just regular assignments. Still who 100% enjoys the academic aspect of school.
Internships
These are a great way to find area-specific jobs for your major. You explore new avenues and have a mentor to help guide you in your journey. Most of the internships are for upperclassmen, and now I am one.
Cake
Another year older means another birthday cake. Birthday cakes are one of the best things about birthdays. I'm lucky that my mom's friend is good at designing cakes so I got a specialized birthday cake to me which I always think is so cool. I mean really - don't we all just want an excuse to eat cake.
Candles
Now I didn’t have 20 candles on my cake but I’m sure a lot of people do. Being able to see those candles on top of your cake really helps solidify that hey you are now one year older then you were one day ago.
Experience
You've officially made it into your twenties. This brings along around 20 whole years of experience to draw on and use in life. That sounds awesome doesn't it.
Bragging
Whenever someone asks you how old you are, you can proudly say you are twenty. This is more ego than anything else but I mean who doesn't love bragging that it's their birthday?
Apartment Life
You've had a lot of experiences in life, so maybe you feel more mature now. You feel comfortable enough to strike out on your own and maybe go decide to try out your first apartment. Apartments can be super great and in my opinion are a huge upgrade from dorm life, at least most of the time.
Credit Cards
I myself only have one credit card I got for school that I haven't touched. If you haven't already, now is a good time to start building up your credit score. This will definitely benefit you later on.
2 Decades Is Still Young
Going along with the perks of being older you are officially two whole decades old. So while you might be older and more mature you don't have to worry about being “old" just yet.
Money
Now I'm not talking about getting money for your birthday although that's good too. But now you are more likely to just want to maybe go out to eat with family or just chill. Now that you're older, you're more conscious about how much money you're are spending. So instead of going out and having a grand party at some party place and inviting everyone, you just want to get together and hang with friends and family instead.
Enjoy It
This one is pretty simple. Life can be short and you never know what's going to happen, so just enjoy it and don't worry about everything so much. Go out and live life to the fullest. Plus you're still a baby in you're parents' eyes, so if you ever need help they are only a phone call away.
Well, there you have it. 20 things to do now that I'm twenty. I am going to sit back and enjoy being another year older.
