Okay I’m no expert and I’ve only been twenty for like a couple of hours, but still… Here are the 10 things that I think every 20-year-old (20 something year old? Almost 20-year-old?) should know:
- Be smart with your money
Let me tell y’all… being smart with your money is so important. My friends would probably label me as frugal and I’m good with that label. I am always looking for a deal and making sure that I am saving more than I am spending. It might not be cool but I may be on my way to becoming an extreme couponer (on a serious note, friends, if you’re reading this, if I ever become one of those peoples that has approximately a gazillion paper towel rolls in my garage because I buy them on sale in bulk… STOP ME). I’ve been reading I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about money.
- Be good at more than SOCIAL networking
Make sure your networking game is STRONG. It is so important to understand how to market yourself, always. Opportunities for me have shown up in the weirdest places. True story, one time I was at a pottery place making a less than stellar mug, started chatting with the family beside me, and left the pottery place with a less than stellar mug AND a job.
Don’t be afraid to ask people for their business cards, email them, keep in touch. You never know when the relationship you make can come in handy!
- Be a YES girl
This isn’t me telling you to drop your responsibilities all the time, but rather to be willing to say yes to something new! Go on that weekend trip to the city you’ve never been to, try out that spin class, or buy the shoes!!
- Find your TRIBE
I don’t mean your girl gang that you hang out with, I really mean a tribe of people ranging in age and experience. Find your people that are honest with advice and always cheer you on. My tribe consists of professors, past teachers, older peers, my mama, and my honorary mamas. I can always count on them to help me make decisions and for heart to hearts.
- Don’t take yourself so seriously
“If you can dance and be free and not be embarrassed you can rule the world” -Amy Poehler
I mean you may not be able to rule the whole world, but you will be able to rule YOUR world! If we’re being honest here, I have never met a dance floor I didn’t love. Life is so much more fun when you aren’t afraid to laugh at yourself.
- Say thank you
Get some stationary that you love and write the heck out of some thank you notes. Trust me, expressing gratitude for things/thoughts/actions of others will make you even more grateful.
- Pray
When it’s hard. When it seems like no one is listening. When you feel lonely. When things are going great. When you don’t know what to do next.
Pray always.
I believe so deeply in the power of prayer, and that belief has shaped my life.
- Wash your dishes
And by wash your dishes, I mean be a good roommate. Sharing a space with someone else (or several other people) can be challenging. Clean up your messes and respect your shared space! Take the initiative to be someone people want to live with. Be intentional about the time that you spend with your roommate (Froomie? Pal? Boyfriend? Husband? Best friend?) … just because you see them every day doesn’t mean you spend time with them every day! Make sure you take time to love on the people you share a home with.
- Value your health
Sleep. Go for a run. Take a spin class. Cry a little. Eat your veggies. Take a bath. Do a face mask. (and every now and then, eat dessert for dinner)
It’s all about balance here friends! Taking care of yourself and your body is so important.
- Find your WHY
Am I the only person who pins every motivational quote on Pinterest, buys all the cute mugs at TJ Maxx that say “you can do this”, and regularly changes my phone background to pretty motivational wall papers?
If I have learned anything, it’s that I can do everything that is supposed to be motivational (like pinning the quotes) and still not be motivated! In the last year, I have found my WHY and it has made all the difference. Just wanting to do something won’t make you keep going when it gets hard, but having a why will.
Like I said, I am no expert. This list of “things to know” have shaped my life, and I hope they bring something good to yours!
Your online BFF,
Z (like the letter, of course)
Hustle + Heart 