Birthdays are strange. You are all of a sudden supposed to feel different then you did 24 hours ago because it is your birthday. Last weekend was my 20th birthday, and since I am a very sentimental and sappy person, it was a little overwhelming. On one hand I felt no different, but on the other hand I felt completely different. I was kissing my teenage years goodbye and saying hello to a completely new decade. People like to say that your twenties are the most important decade because it is the decade where you really establish yourself. Hey, there is even a book titled "The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter – And How to Make the Most of Them Now." Thinking about all of those different things, and the fact that my friends would not let me forget how “old” I was led to a bunch of thoughts running through my mind. Here are just 20 of the thoughts that crossed my mind as I thought about the next decade to come.
1. You beat teenage pregnancy.
Congrats.
2. You are less than 365 days away from being able to drink alcohol legally.
3. Are Leggings Still Acceptable Pants?
Please don't say no.
4. Can I still wear Norts and a big t-shirt five days a week?
Please say yes.
5. You will never be a teenager again.
When you are a teenager it seems like every mistakes you make is okay because teenagers are suppose to make mistakes.
6. You will stop going to school forever.
This is the decade you will graduate from school. Be that college, law school, medical school or dental school you will be done with homework, papers and exams.
7. You will get a real job.
Unfortunately you cannot be a camp counselor or lifeguard forever.
8. You will have to enter the real world.
You need to decide what you want to do with your life, and what you want to contribute to the world.
9. You could possibly get engaged.
10. You could possibly get married.
11. You are closer to having a kid than being a kid.
12. You could have a child, a dog, and a white picket fence.
Those movies you watched as a kid with all the perfect families. yep that could be you before the decade is over.
13. You are officially an adult.
Legally you become an adult at 18 years old, but honestly you aren’t a real adult until you are out of your teens.
14. You will have to start paying taxes.
15. You will have to start saving money.
Responsibility is calling.
16. You will have to start living on your own.
You cannot live off your parents forever sadly.
17. You need to start being healthy.
Even though eating an entire pizza at 3 a.m. or having a CookOut milkshake, a quesadilla, and hushpuppies are all delicious you need to start thinking about having better well balanced meals because your metabolism is starting to slow down. Also going to the gym may not be the worst thing because you know endorphins make you happy.
18. You still have great years head of you.
People like to scare you and say your teenage years are the best years of your life. Don’t worry I hear your twenties are pretty good, too. Think of all the food trucks, coffee shops, and being young, hip, and poor in front of you.
19. New decade new you.
Start fresh. Make this decade what you want to make it.
20. Don’t take everything so seriously.
Even though thinking about everything that could happen in your twenties is terrifying you are still really young. Just think about how much you changed from 10 to 20. You have a lot of time and enjoy every second. Who knows this could be the best decade of your life.
