About six months ago, I turned 20 years old. To be quite honest, 20 is a pretty irrelevant age to me. I'm literally doing the same things I did at 19. However, turning 20 marks two decades of me being on this earth, and I realized that it marks the beginning of almost every big milestone that's to come in my life. During our 20s, most people will graduate college, move into their first "real" apartment, get their first "real" job, get married and maybe even have children. It's actually pretty crazy to think that our whole life is essentially going to be determined in the next oncoming years. All these life-changing events most likely will happen in between the ages of 20–29, and that's why it's completely OK to be a little selfish during the first half of this decade.
Do not use this article as an excuse to not share your chips with your roommate—that's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm saying is that it's OK to become a little obsessed with yourself and your well being. In fact, I'm recommending it. Obsess over the person you are becoming and the life that you want for yourself because this is the time to do it. However, do not become completely self-absorbed that you forget about your loved ones. Never forget that your friends and family are the people who care about you. But it is acceptable for you to become picky about how you spend your time and who you spend it with.
If your coworkers invite you out for drinks, it's OK to decline if you know you could use that time doing something that benefits you. If your life-long dream is to travel to Thailand and you really want to start saving up, skip that weekend trip with the girls if it means you're putting extra money back into your pocket. Living this part of your life with the mentality that you are your biggest priority is beneficial because it allows you the opportunity to figure stuff out before it gets real. It allows you the chance to better yourself and grow into the person you want to be.
It's important to note that if you're going to be selfish, at least use your time wisely. It may not be worth it to say no to going out with friends if all you're going to do is sit at home and watch that same episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" where Will's dad comes to visit; because let's be real, you and I both know how it ends.
Use the time you have to better yourself. Read more books, meditate, go hiking, try something you've never done or revisit old hobbies. Whatever it is, make sure you're enjoying yourself. During this time, you shouldn't have to be doing anything that makes you unhappy. Sooner or later you have to start adulting—we all do. So while you're mainly worry-free, you have a pass to be a little selfish.
Be a little selfish with your time because sooner or later you won't have as much. Be a little selfish with how you spend your money because before you know it, it'll be going towards your mortgage and life insurance for your family. Be a little selfish right now because for the rest of your life, you'll most likely have so many other things to worry about.
