Well, so far so good!
So in honor of this milestone, here are 25 quarter-life realizations...
1. The little moments are really the ones that count the most. I will always cherish late summer nights out with friends when I had to work too early the next day. It's true what they say - you'll never remember the nights that you got a full 8 hours : )
2. On the flip side - there's a time to be serious. Go to school, go to work, take care of your shit and be an adult.
3. Treasure family time. I hate to admit it, but when I was teenager I had a huge chip on my shoulder. When I left for college, I really came to realize how important family time is - I missed them immensely. Don't take those Sunday dinners and family vacays for granted!
4. You're not 21 anymore, stop shopping at Forever 21. (sigh - occasionally still guilty of this)
5. It's not all rainbows, butterflies, Merlot and fancy dinners - the "One" is the one who will stand by your side no matter what...even when you're really really hangry. The one who makes you laugh and will be your partner in life. When you find the "One" - don't mess that up.
6. Learn how to cook at least 3 things really, really well. All of my signature items happen to be cheesy, full of carbs, and best accompanied by a glass of wine...but that's aside from the point.
7. Travel! Start yourself a seperate bank account that can be used to save money to put towards an epic trip.
8. Your friends really become an extension of your family. I'm happy and blessed to have a solid friend group, people with similar goals and aspirations with kind hearts.
9. You're metabolism reallllly slows down after high school. It's the worst. Treasure the cheat meals.
10. Thinking about motherhood is scary. So scary! I need a few more years to travel, drink wine, and spend quality time with my husband. And that's OK.
11. Nostalgia is both a blessing and a curse. It's important to reminisce about old times, but also important not to live in the past. Of course I sometimes miss my last year of college, when I only had class two days a week with endless free time - but would I take that over the life I have now? Nope!
12. Live for the day. Once you're in the adult grind, it's really easy to find yourself wanting the days to go by faster - to get closer to the next weekend or the next vacation. Life is SO short - I'm working on treasuring every moment, whether it's spent at my desk...or at the beach with a margarita in hand.
13. Bad boyfriends happen for a reason. It's easy to look back and say "what the hell was I thinking?!" but at the same time, those experiences shape you to the person you're intended to be, and shows you the traits and qualities you will want, and the ones you don't, in "The One." Not all boyfriends were bad - but they were chapters in life that were meant to be closed, so the rest of your story can continue.
14. You can jazz up any frozen lean cuisine or lackluster dish with a healthy dose of spice. I may or may not have my own bottle of Cholula at work...
15. When you get out of college, subsequent hangovers will last 3 days and resemble near death experiences. Do yourself a favor - buy Drip Drop, found at Walgreens and CVS. You can thank me later...
16. Positive thinking is key - how you perceive yourself and your situation will impact your whole universe. Sometimes all it takes is a shift of perception to bring yourself true happiness.
17. In your adult years, weekends tend to be spent running errands, cleaning the house and doing laundry. Take one day a month to just do nothing, i.e. stay in your PJs all day to watch Netflix. Tip: Order pizza delivery to maximize couch time.
18. You really do change in your 20s. I see it with myself and within my friends. The nights spent going out at 11 p.m. and ending the night the next morning with Roberto's nachos are now spent with early evening get togethers - BBQs, happy hours, dinners. This was a gradual shift, one I much prefer to the former.
19. Networking. Contacts. Relationships. These things are extremely important when getting your foot in the door. As I approached graduation several years ago, I had the terrifying realization that it's SO hard to find your first real job. I must have applied for 75 jobs and 99% of the time did not hear anything back. It wasn't until I reached out to an old J-school classmate that I was able to find an opportunity that was perfect for me. I also still try to check in with my favorite professor every now and then.
20. The millenial generation tends to be conflicted after graduation - do I travel? Do I go to work? Get my own place, pay bills? Or live at home? I chose to start working right away - about 5 days after graduation to be exact. I have never regretted that decision, because it's what helped me climb the ladder at a young age. Rather than waiting around to weigh the options, I jumped in head first and hoped for the best.
21. All relationships must be mutually beneficial. It's been a long road for me with this one. As painful as it may be to come to that realization, not everyone is worthy of your love and friendship if it is not returned with the same respect.
22. There are little things that happen every once and a while that really make you feel old. Like transitioning into a morning person, not being able to stomach rollercoasters and reading the paper rather then Cosmo.
23. I joke about being an old soul, but I realize the importance of treasuring my youth. Go run around outside, climb a mountain, anything!
24. If you haven't already, learn the art of thank you notes. A text just doesn't do justice.
25. Live, love, learn. Drink wine. Seize the day!
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