No One Gives You A Guide To Your Twenties

Madeleine Knight
Oct 1, 2015
2 min read

No one gives you hints and tricks and tips to survive the crushing social expectations that society have put in place over the years. And if they try you don’t listen, you don’t take it on board until it’s too late, until you’re there, you’re 22, you have no future plan and you don’t know where you’re heading.

My realisation today?…. This is the first September in 22 years I have been free to do as I please. No one telling me where, when, why, how, who, what. No deadlines, no moving in, no new people, new classrooms, new workbooks, new uniform. To which you would assume I am gratefully welcoming of such a new found freedom. You would be wrong. There is a profound feeling of being lost at this stage. That there is something I should be doing, something that needs to be done and prepared for before x, y and z happen.

I could easily stay in my current village for a long time to come, working at the local pub, living at home, saving money, meeting local people my age... But would I be happy? Would I feel fulfilled? Would I get to 30 and look back like 'Well that was interesting'?

The last thing I think you should do when you look back on your twenties, is look back with regret or resentment against deicions, people, situations. While you are relatively free of responsibilities you should go and explore! Although I know its not for everyone, I have friends who are very happily in relationships and with children and with careers already, and i'm genuinely happy they haven't had to go to the other side of the world to find their happiness.