Ten Components of Your Twenties
Girls Night Out
Growing up this was a fascination of mine. I could understand sleepovers (nail polish and makeup kits) but a Girls Night Out was a whole level of maturity. No one competing for a man’s attention, it was all about us, looking hot, smelling good and grabbing the attention of the whole bar without knowing or caring. Last night I went out to sushi dinner with two friends, one old, one new and I had so much fun as I dribbled soy sauce all over my leather jacket. I sniffed my friend’s plum wine (I live vicariously) and we ordered apps, rice, sushi and noodles. Oh yeah and three cans of Iced Tea.
Concerts in the City
It’s fun to see the bands you grew up with. It’s EPIC to watch the bands your friends formed turn into “real music” complete with EPs, buttons and T-shirts. And you’re jumping around in a basement with a nonalcoholic beer and everything smells like pot and sweat and it’s loud as hell and everyone’s yelling. And everyone’s stepping on each other and you’ll wonder if you’ll make it out alive but that’s part of the fun.
Road Trip with the SO (significant other)
This November my boyfriend and I made a pilgrimage to Baltimore to visit his friends and see where he went to school. I love being on the road with my baby. We listen to Smosh and drink caffeine (well I do that anyway). His friends took us to a club and I had never been to a club before. So now I am a woman of the world. There was a lot of Mario Kart. Oh yeah and I was so excited I pulled an allnighter (which is a warning sign if you are bipolar).
Road Trip with the Girls
This happened at eighteen so technically it doesn’t belong here but its my blog, my rules. When I graduated from high school, my three best friends and I went on a trip to Hershey Park. We stayed at those cabins on site. My friend’s alarm blared ‘Centuries’ for forty times before she threw it across the room. We explored the park, posing with candy bars and taking selfies at every ride. I got a sweet view from the ferris wheel. We all got hennas. The next day we went to Chocolate World and I got a big Reese Piece’s pillow for my then, boyfriend. In the car my friend took the best picture of me passed out on my boobs. Naturally I had to post it with “#boobsaspillows”
Grow a plant
And no, to you party animals I am not trying to insinuate the use of cannabis (although homegown marijuana is much safer than getting it off the streets). I planted a plant in group therapy once, named her Amy brought her home. We parked her on my mom’s tee cart never imagining how long her vines would be which went up to the ceiling and coiled around the cart. She was thriving. Then one of these plant gnats got to her and Amy died. I was kind of broken up about it since she was the only thing I touched that took life.
Car Accident
Unfortunately they aren’t uncommon. So chances are if you’ve never been in one you will be. This is said not to frighten you but just make sure you are up to date on safety protocol: wear a seatbelt, don’t text and drive (everyone swears they don’t but most people actually do) and don’t drink/ smoke/ turn up and drive. I had an ex insist he was a better driver when and because he smoked weed. He almost drove us right into a telephone. But one scary thing about car accidents is that you could be doing everything right and still get hurt or worse. I have been lucky. Only two car accidents in my whole life. During both I started crying, not because I was hurt but because it was a scary situation.
Throwing a 21st Birthday Party
I could write a book on this alone. My 21st birthday party was one of the happiest days of my life- and ironically I was completely sober. I had given up alcohol two years earlier but I wanted plenty of drinking at my party because for some reason I still equated drinking to fun. If my friends weren’t getting drunk they weren’t having fun. I needn’t have worried. Most of my friends got trashed, one party crasher threw up on the couch and I was petrified I would get cited for social hosting because the music was just so loud. When the crowd petered out and it was like 3 am we played a game of Kings Cup and I think that was my favorite part of the evening (Naturally I was drinking Monster instead).
Adopting a Pet
This is a big responsibility- medical bills, vet bills, food. But you have your life situated a pet can be a very pleasant companion. The other day my dad and I went into a store (I won’t disclose the name) for medicine for my cat. We checked out the animals looking to be adopted. I was appalled by their conditions. One black and white cat named Henry could barely maneuver around his cage. His food bowl was half full of feces. He pawed the glass case. I felt bad leaving without him.
Shedding the Freshmen Fifteen
I’m the opposite. I lost weight at college, especially freshmen year. Then the medication kicked in and I started gaining upwards of sixty pounds. But for most people once they adjust to the calories that exist with alcohol and the gym schedule, they start to level out. Still waiting if that holds true for me too.
Staying in on a Friday/ Saturday Night
When I was in high school, hell even into college, I thought being home Friday or Saturday meant you were unpopular. Or (to be blunt) a loser. I did everything I could do to avoid this even if it meant going out with people I didn’t even like. Some of it is my FOMO (which I have written about in a previous post), some of it was being alone with my thoughts. Luckily this is something I have now outgrown.
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