Entering your twenties is an overwhelming combination of excitement and anxiety. From graduation to getting your own place, little by little you start to become an independent grown-up. Where are the guidelines on how to be an adult? Break out the Netflix and chill, because Parks and Recreation is your new Bible.
Turning twenty is a tease, but turning twenty-one is when nobody can hold you back; not even the bouncer at the bar. You’re going to want to celebrate every accomplishment with a drink, no matter how big or small.
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On days off, you spend an absurd amount of time scrolling through Netflix because you’ve already binge-watched everything and are running out of options.
You try to make your parents proud by doing things on your own that you would usually ask them for help with, but you end up doing it wrong and calling them up for help anyways.
Then you realize that parents know way more than you, and you’ll start calling them for things that even a 10 year old could figure out on their own. You think it makes your parent happy that you still need them, but really their worried about how you’re possibly going to be able to pull off living by yourself.
After you’ve been twenty-one for a while and going out every weekend start to get old, you and your friends spend your Friday nights drinking, playing board games and singing all of those songs from the 80’s that your parents would sing at the top of their lungs and embarrass you with when you were little.
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Then you realize, oh my God, I’ve become my mother.
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Sometimes, even the littlest things can turn you from happy-go-lucky to downright miserable. It’s easy to blow things out of proportion sometimes when the little things start to build up.
And other times, your good mood can lead you into a state of delirium where nobody thinks your funny but you think you’re god damn hilarious.
Groceries will start becoming less of a priority, and before you know it you’re falling into the stereotype of eating TV Dinners every night after work
Once this becomes a routine, you’re going to go through a phase of religiously hitting the gym… Then you’re going to realize that everything you eat cancels out your workout anyways, so you end up embracing your bad habits and only doing physical activity when completely necessary.
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Even when you’re at work, you’re going to realize that everybody has an opinion about everybody. After a while you’re stop caring what anyone thinks and do whatever makes you happy.
Little by little you’ll start building your own opinions on things that you once relied on what everyone else was thinking for. Don’t worry about breaking the status quo; if you think you’re right, then don’t be afraid to act like it.
Once you’re in the routing of living for yourself and being independent, everything all starts to fall into place. You’ll learn to motivate yourself, and that it’s okay to reward yourself for getting shit done. This is the Nirvana of your twenties; enjoy it.