30 things I learned in my 20’s

On Sunday I turned 30. 30 whole years. And you know, it’s not as bad as I expected it to be when I was 20 thinking of being 30. At 20, you were just at the beginning of your adult life. It was time to broaden your horizons and live the life that you had been waiting for for so long. Your parents would give you a helping hand when it came to choosing the best electricity rates and plans, from somewhere like Pulse Power, so you could settle into your brand new home with ease, (and with cheaper bills to pay). I genuinely believe everyone should have the chance to own a home if they want to. And I’ll admit, I didn’t even know there were mortgages other than the sort you got from the bank or from a mortgage broker – but things like a bad credit mortgage (known as a subprime mortgage) exist to help give people the opportunity to become a homeowner. I digress – I know most people in their 20s don’t think about mortgages in this much detail. At this time in your life, the world was truly your oyster. Back then 30 was like this tiny spec in a very large horizon, a horizon that pretty much snuck up and smashed me in the face. Surprise it’s your birthday! And you’re 30! And you rocked your 20’s (in my own opinion) so let’s see what this big bad number has in store for you.

So despite the crafty mood I’ve been in, you’re getting a look at what I learned in the past decade as opposed to a how-to, #sorrynotsorry – haha!

Here it is, 30 things I learned in my 20’s – in random order

1. Paying bills does not get any more fun.
2. Although rewarding and gratifying, owning a home and having a mortgage isn’t as easy as the commercials make it out to be. You can’t forget about that home insurance (I think you’re going to need to check here if you’ve skipped over that bit!)
3. Despite thinking you’ll never be the mom with the screaming kid in Wal-Mart , you will end up in that position.
4. Prince Charming is not going to show up on your doorstep, you actually have to go find him.
5. You can’t eat McDonalds like you did in high school and come out with no consequence.
6. Mcdonald’s isn’t as good as it was in high school.
7. Coffee really is the bomb – especially after a late night and early morning.
8. 9-5, Monday-Friday is like winning the job lotto.
9. Girls night out turns into morning coffee dates in….with the kids.
10. Conservative is classy.
11. Having it all isn’t necessarily what you thought it was when you first start off on your own.
12. Grey’s Anatomy is still as good as it was 10 years ago. McDreamy just got dreamier.
13. Blaring your music full blast while driving is still as gratifying as it was when you first got your license.
14. The best weekend plans are usually no plans at all.
15. Heels can you make you feel like a whole different kinda lady!
16. You do in fact need 8hrs of sleep.
17. All nighters take on a whole new meaning once kids come in the picture.
18. Mowing the lawn turns into a favorite chore because you like how ‘clean’ it makes the yard look.
19. Spending your weekend evenings curled up on the couch watching marathons of anything on Netflix will actually be something you look forward to.
20. Time management just doesn’t work for everyone ie: Wake up at 6am, still get to work anywhere between 8:05-8:10am when your work day starts at 8am.
21. Exciting applies to things like a new vacuum, dishwasher & laundry machine, and getting a home warranty (you can look here), to get them covered.
22. The things you found funny at 20 are still hilarious at 30…it’s just easier to pee yourself a bit when you’re 30.
23. Mac & Cheese from a box turns into a making it from scratch and adding a gourmet twist.
24. Instead of hosting parties, you host ‘dinner parties’ which is just a classier way of saying come drink & eat at my house.
25. Your wine choice graduates from drinking Boone’s to Apothecary Red & Jacob’s Creek Moscato (which in this case is a fancier version of Boone’s).
26. A hug from your mom is still enough to make the world feel right.
27. Anywhere from 2-3 pieces of cheesecake is more than acceptable to eat on your birthday, it gives you the same result as squats just without the firmness.
28. Dancing on anything other than a dance floor just gets awkward.
29. Sleeping in until 8am is an accomplishment.
30. You’ll need your family & friends more than ever to get you through the ever-changing walk of life.