I'm still kind of in transition, so I need assurance that this is a tough, and yet fun time period. I'm 24 right now and some days I feel like I won't be young anymore and want to party as much as I can, while other days I'm afraid of being stuck in a rut and not finding a better job
[Edited 10/22/07 9:15am]

Sure, it was fun. And let me tell you something even better.

I am 48. So far, every year has been more fun than the last. So if I am any indicator, you have at least 24 more fun-filled years ahead!

I'll let you know when the years quit getting fun, but I doubt that's ever going to happen.

Keep this in mind - you are incredibly young. That's not meant to be condescending; it's meant to point out that you have so much time ahead of you. So don't be afraid to experience new things. Travel, learn about foreign countries, learn to play music - whatever you want.

You'll find that the only regrets you'll have in life are the things you DIDN'T do.

From 24-26 I was going out a lot, getting the travel bug with my first big trips to europe and some small ones around the US and working in between to support that all.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing now, only staying home a lot more.

yeah I'm big on music and played it/performed it for years, and still do every chance I get

everyone says I'm young, but I don't really feel it. I hear songs I loved in the 80's and 90's and feel ancient all the time. I'm afraid of not getting a proper job and staying home all the time. Though I have fun and all, my job doesn't require regular hours, so I'm mostly home and try to go out every other night or something

I'm going back to school in a few months too, so I could at least be doing something with my time, but I feel ancient sometimes

I get flashbacks of my childhood and teen years all the time, and some days I may feel young like that and want to relive those days, but they're long gone. I try to live in the present so I could enjoy the time I have right now, but sometimes I feel depressed too and empty (gosh don't I sound like freaking mj ugh)
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alphastreet said:

Trust me, you are young. What happens is that you don't feel young right now, but in 5 or 10 years, you'll look back at this age and think, "I was so young!"

I try to keep that in mind even at age 48, because in 10 years, I will think 48 was young.

So if you can remember that, you will always feel young!

RodeoSchro said:

yes that is also true. I felt old when I was a teenager, but when I look back on that time, I was such a baby, trying to grow up too fast

keep a journal...it's the best thing for your piece of mind and in 10 years you'll read it and think, damn...I was young

bong rips

I'm 26 and I'm in veterinary school right now. I started when I was 24 after a year of living on my own in NYC. I was tired of working for little to no money and figured that it was time to go to professional school.

I know what you mean about feeling old, though. I think it's because you're finally a real adult, not because you are actually old.

Hang in there.

slave: I've kept a journal since about 10th grade and have been writing on and off for the past 10 years or something like that, and it really is therapeutic at times when I read things I'd done that I forgot about, or emotions I'd experienced over changing friendships, and family issues and planning my future goals and all. I sometimes write about reflecting on stuff too. I guess I will continue to write

jasmine: I'm kind of in the same boat, I'm working for little to no money as well, and am going back to school soon for a certificate, but I hope it pays off. I'm still job searching too and hope to have a full time job very soon, as my program is part time and I can easily do both.

I may be a real adult, but some days I feel old, while during others I still feel like a kid, cause no one around me appreciates anything I do for the family, and I feel like it's my fault I don't have a better job when it's not like I'm not trying my best to find a job and have a life at the same time.

RodeoSchro said:

Very well said!! I always thought that when I hit 40, that I would be a shell of my former, younger self....but quite the contrary....I'm looking forward to whats ahead of me because when I look back at my "too mature for my own good" 24-26 year old ass, man I WAS SO YOUNG!!! Its amazing I could find my ass with a bell on it.... I'm just glad that I didn't botch my life up badly enough to be facing my upcoming years as a bitter dude....

to answer the question, in a whirlwind, I was newly married, the father of two infants (my irish twins...) and feeling truly stuck...because I wasn't ready for all of that...but you don't have the luxury of deciding when you've already gone down that path...
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alphastreet said:

Keep your head up during these times and realize you're still figuring out who you are. There's no race to get a better job, there's nobody's opinion you should value more than your own. With the journal, it's great to write goals down and come back to see how they are progressing (or not progressing), this way, even if you're feeling down you can go back and read to get your fire back and refocus on what you want. Trade schools are great to get a job for more money but plan on going back for a real degree so you can build something in a career for long term.

between 20 and 29 I was having 4 kids

alphastreet said:

Also, the best advice I can give you at this young age is this:

1. Start saving NOW. The power of compounding interest is incredible. Sock away as much as you can every month, and let a good financial planner invest it for you. Ask older, smart people for a good reference; and
2. Stay out of debt. NEVER get a credit card, always go with cash or a debit card. Pay cash for your car. Only borrow money to buy a house, and only buy a house when you plan to stay somewhere at least 3 years.

That's my two cents.

Partying my motherfuckin ass off!

alphastreet said:

I'm only 35 so I only have my 20's to compare it to as far as my adult life goes.

If there's anything I regret from my 20's it's the excess. I was way way way too undisciplined and partied way too much. I could scrape together less than 200 bucks and make an entire weekend of it driving down to Key West. I could wake up in a place and have no clue how I got there, but roll with it. I simply didn't feel the pressures that I do now.

All I can say is strike a balance. In my 30's I've been far too serious with life, trying to "make up for lost time" and it's caused me to be in a personal rut just from that. I'm only now realizing that your 30's should be balanced. It's like I'm trying accumulate as much wealth as possible before I'm 40, and in my 40's I'm hoping to gear myself up for retirement by 50, etc. etc.

But ultimately the ride to the destination will seem dull and endless if I don't strike balance. You sound very much like me at that age. All I can say is balance things out. Don't dive all the way into a career neglecting everything, but don't go through your days in an formless bacchanalian haze.

Experiencing my 25th year on this planet.

Well, I'm in that age range. And I'm working to pay the bills, directing my mind on things that matter...

I think I'm technically in my late thirties though because my mom had me when she was 39 so I was raised by a woman with an 'old fashioned' attitude and outlook.
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oops. wrong thread
[Edited 10/23/07 20:19pm]

At that age...I was raising kids...my life was my children and nothing more.

That's the best era for partying!

Who told you you can't have fun after a certain age? A bouncer?

I was 23 when I met the master, and from 24 to 26 I was partying hard and working for peanuts, living in a share situation (4 people in 3 rooms). We bought this house when I was 26, got married when I was 27, had a kid at 29, another at 30 and another at 32



what is different now?

I work for myself, and it isn't for peanuts any more. I still party hard whenever I can and the kids live here with us until they old enough for us to kick them out.

That age is something of a turning point. If you want to get ahead that's kind of the time to do it. That doesn't mean you can't have fun. It just means you should think about focusing and think about acting as well.

In fact, whatever direction you choose, you should simply act upon it. My main regret is waiting too long to act upon my feelings.

NDRU said:

this is also true, but it sounds like alphastreet is already preoccupied with "getting ahead"

Slave2daGroove said:

I already have a real degree, that's why it's so frustrating in the first place! I'm going back for a post-grad certificate, and had done a certificate earlier this year too, and eventually my masters though I need good work experience first. I thought a job would be handed to me right after grad, but it didn't work out right away, and though I ended up getting one, it's not that good, so all I could do for now is keep educating myself while I'm still young, and hopefully it'll pay off someday. If I ever start dating one of my male friends (it could happen) I don't ever want to rely on anyone's money in case of anything either, which is why I want to build a foundation and find a way to support myself in a career I'm content with.
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RodeoSchro said:[quote]

alphastreet said:

I already got in trouble with a credit card, and I don't plan on moving until I get married if ever. Among those in our culture, you're not really expected to or should feel obliged to do that unless there's a good reason like work or studying. I do contribute financially as much as possible though
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repaet
[Edited 10/23/07 22:37pm]

NDRU said:

Can we hang out?

I'm 26 now and have often thought I have been wasting my time. However on reflection I've done a heck of a lot with my life. I graduated in Contemporary History and Politics in 2002 after giving up the prospect of being a professional soccer player.

I've not been one to shirk away from work and I've had a number of jobs since I've graduated including running my own department at a succesful and growing travel company.

About this time, I took off to travel around the world. I went to-India, Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and then back to the UK via Madrid and Rome. I loved it and with it...

Ideally I'd like to become a teacher and I'm well on my way to achieving my goal after assisting in primary and secondary school classes, taking an intensive teaching English abroad course and training children to play soccer. I'm going to apply to teach in South Korea next year whilst in the meatime I'm going to catch up on things I should have done earlier including learning to drive. Although I have a number of great, close friends I would dearly love to meet someone aswell and I get a bit lonely and fed up about it sometimes but by keeping busy I find it takes my mind of it.

I'm very ambitious and hate wasting my time like being on the Org!
[Edited 10/24/07 1:06am]