In less than 30 days I’ll officially be in my 30’s! I’m not going to whine about how ‘old’ I’m getting – I think 30 is actually still pretty young – but nearing the big three-oh has got me thinking about what’s changed for me in the past 10 years, since I entered my 20’s.
And I actually think this decade is going to be pretty damn good!
If you’re nearing the end of your 20’s and feeling a little wobbly about things to come – fear not! Here are 30 reasons why you can confidently look forward to the next chapter in your life…
1. You actually have a proper career
Remember finishing your exams or being in uni, debating the when/how/what’s of your career? Applying for jobs and starting at the bottom of the ladder on minimum wage? Or being ‘that assistant’ who brings the coffee and does all the jobs no one else likes? Well now you (hopefully) no longer have to do those things! You probably have a good career or have established what you want to do with your life. If you’re lucky, you’ll be moving up the career ladder and getting paid a good amount more than you were in your early 20s!
2. You’re able to spend less on alcohol
If you’re like me – it takes a lot less to get merry. You probably won’t buy half as much alcohol on a night out as you would in your 20’s, which means you can skip the cheap house wine and splurge out on some decent tipple.
3. Dating is less stressful
No more crying over a kebab/tub of Ben & Jerrys for you!
By now you’ve kissed a bunch of frogs/divas and can now separate the good ones from the bad ones.
In my early 20’s a bad date with my not-so-perfect ‘dream guy’ would have left me broken hearted, sobbing and questioning whether there are any good men in the world. In your 30’s you have enough experience with men to be able to shrug it off when he/she turns out to be a jerk, and move on to the next one!
4. Travelling is more luxurious
You are no longer bunking in grotty hostels. Now when you travel you can afford to set a minimum 4-star hotel requirement. Hello luxury accommodation!
5. Weddings and hen/stag parties
Most people tend to get married in their 30’s now, which means you’ll have a bunch of fabulous hen/stag parties and fancy weddings to attend! Not to mention proud bridesmaid/best man at your best friends wedding. You’re likely to be shopping for your own wedding attire too!
6. Your home will be an actual home
In my early 20’s I was living in a very basic, grotty student house which was barely a functional home! Beige walls, beige carpets, hard bed with a biscuit-thin mattress and a tiny, empty kitchen.
Now my living room is decked out with my favourite colour scheme, my kitchen holds wonderful gadgets that cook delicious food, and at the end of the day I can finish work and look forward to relaxing on my squashy sofa. Your 30’s will certainly be a more comfortable decade!
7. You can cook!
You now have an additional 10 years of cooking under your belt and probably some better quality cookware. Evening meals in your 30’s are a far cry from Pot Noodles and beans-on-toast, as you munch on healthier and tastier food that you actually cooked yourself!
8. Goodbye embarrassment
I was constantly dying of embarrassment in my early 20’s. From kicking myself for saying something stupid in a big job interview, to tripping over clumsily on a first date. Nowadays I’m so busy that I don’t have the time nor the patience to get embarrassed, and when I do it’s easy to laugh it off.
9. You have decent wardrobe of clothes
An occasional Primarni splurge is not unheard of, but generally your wardrobe is now full of decent, good quality clothes and you no longer need ‘laundry day’ emergency supplies! Furthermore, you have a good number of ‘staple’ pieces and no longer buy short-lived ridiculously uncomfortable styles just because they’re ‘in’!
10. You have more confidence
You have a good amount of life experience now, and this gives you the confidence to tackle new challenges. You have no problem chatting to random people that you don’t know, making a complaint in a restaurant or asking for a pay rise. Most of the stuff you do you’ve already done before, and this time round you have the experience to know how to do it.
11. You know who your friends are
In your 20’s you seem to have heaps of friends. Unfortunately we all eventually learn that some of these people are not the true friends we thought they were.
You may not have 10 friends for every day of the week now, but the friendships you do have are genuine life-long relationships with people you can rely on and trust.
You no longer have the time nor the patience to spend your weekends with people that you don’t click with and you now know that having 5 dedicated long-term friends is much more valuable than the 50 ‘mates’ you got drunk with at 21.
12. You feel less insecure about your body
You may not particularly like your chest or bum, but you know that there is so much more to life than what you look like.
You now know that the models you see in the magazines are heavily photoshopped and promote unrealistic and ridiculous expectations of what we ‘should’ look like.
I’m not saying that we let ourselves go in our 30’s – far from it! Instead we celebrate what we do like about ourselves and (rightly) shrug off the rest!
13. You are an actual expert on the latest kids games and shows
Would you believe they’ve brought back Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, My Little Pony and Sonic the Hedgehog? Kids stare in awe when you reel off all the names of all the Pokemon Go characters.
14. You are better prepared
You don’t have to rush out last-minute before a holiday to buy a suitcase when yours rips – you have a spare in the loft. No more searching for those scissors, you have three pairs. A box of back-up greetings cards will save you when you’ve forgotten your neighbours birthday. You are a hell of a lot more prepared for the day-to-day challenges that life throws at you!
15. Spa weekends & massages!
You can now totally justify them as being essential regular ‘therapy’.
16. You can give good advice to younger people
It always feels good to help a fellow human being, and now you have the experience of your 20’s to help those currently stumbling through theirs! Whether it’s advice on renting or buying a first property, or what to write on a CV – it feels good to know that your experiences can help somebody else.
17. Your skin is clearer
You can now turn your back on hormonal breakouts! You know how to look after your skin properly and spots are more of a once-a-month occurrence rather than a daily battle.
18. Farewell gossip and drama
Now that I’m nearly in my 30’s I know that gossip is never a good idea, and I don’t put myself in situations that create unnecessary drama.
In your 30’s you avoid gossips like the plague because you know no good can come from talking to them. You don’t need vexatious people in your life, and actually you couldn’t be less interested in who got embarrassingly wasted at the office Christmas party.
19. You spend more time doing the things you love
As a new 30-something, you don’t waste time on things that give you little pleasure. You know what you do like (having a slap-up meal and a good laugh with a friend) and you know what you do not like (clubbing followed by a wasted weekend with a horrendous hungover). You’ll spend more time doing the things you love because you know how precious time is.
20. People take you more seriously
If you decide to do something spontaneous or have a career change, people are more likely to respect your decision.
People now view you as an actual proper adult rather than an inexperienced 20-year-old, and your decisions will be more readily accepted.
21. You’re sexier
There is nothing more sexy than confidence. Somehow now that you’re 30 you’re more classy and seductive. You have refined your look and are have a strong sense of self.
22. Sex is sexier!
Your partner is more experienced, your more experienced. Ladies reach sexual peak at 34… enough said 😉
23. You can purchase super expensive things and no one will judge
A 21 year old spending £10k on a vehicle is seen as frivolous and irresponsible.
In your 30’s it’s totally acceptable to spend over £20k buying a car.
And of course an extra £5k on (totally essential) heated windscreens and climate control. Everything is ‘an investment’.
24. Little things will make your day
Such as catching the sunrise on your morning commute, or getting asked for ID in Morrisons.
25. The opposite sex is better looking
Ladies – they’re more composed, elegant and seductive, there’s something seriously sexy about a woman in her 30’s!
Men – those chiselled jaw lines, proper stubbles and and sexy suits… men in their 30’s are definitely hotter!
26. No more patronising remarks
People can no longer say to you ‘you’ll understand when you’re older’ because you’re now definitely old enough to understand (but still young enough to be ‘young’).
27. Saturday nights are awesome
Going out? Great!
No plans? Amazing! You’ve never loved a cosy night in more.
Its win-win!
28. You have better perspective
A lot has happened over the past decade. You know that there will be good times and bad times, and so you find you can handle difficult chapters in your life with a little more strength and optimism.
29. You don’t feel like you have to be ‘in’ with the crowd
You’ve lost the urge to conform to and please the ‘popular’ people. I fact, it suddenly seems as if there are no popular people, just individuals with both good and bad characteristics. You’re happy to be different and take people for who they are, not how many Facebook friends they have.
30. You can just be yourself
Aaaand relax! By now you pretty much give zero f*cks about how others see you. You know who you are and don’t seek confirmation from others, and it’s actually a pretty awesome way of living!
