Surviving vs. Living

Life as a twenty-something-year-old is a life in flux. It's a time of transitions: instead of going to school, we go to work; instead of seeing our friends every day in class, we see them on the weekends, maybe, if our schedules match up. Instead of scraping together some money to go to the candy store, we scrape together whatever's left after the bills are paid.

I don't know about you, but I'm sick of it.

It's time to start living again.

Of course, it's important to be responsible. Becoming financially independent is a commendable feat, and adulthood comes with its fair share of rewards. But mindlessly living the eat-work-sleep routine? That's surviving, not living.

Set some time aside for yourself. Do something you love. Make a point to see the people you care about. Life is about so much more than bills and work. Don't get so trapped in a routine of stress and worry and responsibility that you forget what's really important.

Having debt is okay (for now).

The thought of owing your alma mater thousands of dollars is tough to get used to. When you lump that in with car payments, cell phone bills, and life's miscellaneous disasters, it's easy to get financially overwhelmed. But that doesn't mean you should obsess over where every penny of your paycheck is going. Going out for ice cream with friends once in a while won't ruin your credit score. Splurging on Cedar Point tickets won't result in you begging on the street. Sure, you shouldn't spend money recklessly, but you shouldn't stop yourself from enjoying yourself. Money isn't the most important thing in your life right now, so don't stress.

You will be alright.

Sometimes, it might seem like you're so far from where you want to be, that you'll never get there. So maybe you didn't land that job you really wanted, right out of college. So maybe you're still living at home while you pay off some loans. It's okay. There's no time limit on these things; there's no right or wrong way to live your life. In time, things will calm down. You'll figure it out. Ten years from now, the things you're stressing over will be distant memories.

Be responsible, be independent, be conscientious. But be spontaneous. Be wild. Be adventurous. Be free.

Don't just survive. Go out and live.