24 Tips for 24 Years

Hello!

This past weekend, I celebrated my 24th birthday, the second time being far away from home, but nevertheless with good company. I spent the weekend on a getaway to the wonderful city of Dijon (yes, “Dijon mustard” Dijon!) in eastern France, and I had a great time. More on that in a later post.

…any case, I’m 24! Granted, I feel as if “24” is, along with 22 and 23, just another awkward age to be at, since you’re removed from that college-undergrad mentality (at least, I hope) but at the same time not quite to 25 just yet, which is apparently where the “quarter-life crisis” hits and whatnot. Well, at least 24 isn’t as awkward as 23…

But I digress. Inspired by Youtuber Alexis G. Zall’s most-recent “18 Tips for 18 Years” video, I thought that I would give some tips on what I’ve learned in my 24 years of being on this earth. Or, more accurately-speaking, I would like to share the successes and mistakes (but mostly mistakes) which I’ve learned from, so that you might benefit from them, as well as to use as a guide when it comes to turning 25, 26, and so on. Let’s get to them!

24 Tips for 24 Years

1. Stand up for yourself sooner than later; cliché’d as it sounds, life is too short to take so much abuse.

2. …at the same time, learn to know when a battle is worth picking to fight or not. Granted, this comes off as another “pick and choose your battles” cliché, but really, you only have so much energy to fight- only use it on the worthwhile ones.

3. Friendships come and go. You can make all the efforts you can to save them, but also the other end needs to try, too. If it’s a one-way relationship, then perhaps it’s a sign that the person has moved on without you…and that’s okay. You’ll make more friends down the line, so there’s no point in agonizing over a lost friendship.

4. Know the early signs of a toxic relationship…and get out fast. It can be hard to knowing exactly if you’re in a toxic relationship, but essentially, if you don’t feel good about yourself after spending time with them, then that’s a warning that something’s wrong. Don’t spend five years of giving yourself to someone who doesn’t give you the same back; it’s not worth your time.

5. You’re at your peak stage of physical shape between the ages of 15 and 17, let alone having excellent metabolism to boot. Cherish those years, because you’ll have to work extra hard afterwards.

6. Eating too much sugar is a real thing. It’s a serious issue, being a “legal drug” and everything. Cut down on processed sugars as much as possible, and you’ll see a huge difference how you feel, health-wise.

7. Listen more than talk. Do not interrupt people constantly. Learn to have manners.

8. No one cares if you were popular in middle school and/or high school. Striving to be popular at school serves no end-goal except to make you feel superficially confident about yourself.

9. …on the topic of school, grading systems are stupid. Testing people is stupid, too, because all of this ranking and scores and back-stabbing competition doesn’t prove your actual intelligence; it just proves you know how to beat the system. It doesn’t give you the smarts to survive the real-world afterwards.

10. Having good habits (eating well, brushing your teeth and showering every day) pays off in the long run: your body will thank you for it.

11. When in company, interact with speech and eye contact and funny stories, not smartphones.

12. Look up every once in a while when walking; the scenery can be beautiful at times.

13. Don’t let fear stop you from traveling solo.

14. Say “yes” to (almost) everything. Whenever an opportunity arises, go for it (within safety limits, of course!).

15. Don’t be afraid to call someone out if they say/do something not okay; they deserve to know it.

16. There’s no point in trying to fit in: you’ll end up failing anyway. Just be yourself.

17. …at the same time, when you’re placed outside your comfort zone, it helps to fake it until you make it, especially if you’re nervous or get bouts of anxiety because of it. Pretend you don’t have all of that in front of people.

18. Accept that you will make mistakes and/or embarrass yourself in public. No one really cares, since they’re all too preoccupied with themselves to remember, anyway. Those who never hesitate to rehash your past, though, well, they’re assholes.

19. Know when to work, know when to play. Organize your days and don’t be over-pack activities into one day. 24 hours is shorter than you think, you know!

20. There’s no “right time” or “right age” to get your first kiss, have your first significant other, get married, etc. When the time comes, it’ll happen.

21. Never set your expectations too high; chances are, they’ll most likely fall short.

22. Sometimes, the last thing you’d expected to be great will be GREAT.

23. Always wash your hands after touching your smartphone or computer. God knows how much germs and harmful bacteria are on them!

24. There’s no point in having your purpose in life easily handed to you upon birth. The real purpose is to go about searching for it. #philosophy

…and that’s about it! While all of these are some things I’ve learned so far in life, I’m by no means perfect in all of them. I’m still learning, but at least I know that these are points worth following to live better and happier.

Any case, here’s to a great 24th year ahead! Cheers. 🙂

— The Finicky Cynic

Check me out on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/thefinickycynic