As a teenager I truly believed that by the time I was 25 I would have my shit together and be a fully fledged adult conquering the world. I'd have my dream job even though I didn't know what that was at the time. I'd probably have been on the way to getting married, aka engaged. I'd have a house decorated exactly how I wanted with a dog to welcome me home. Spoilers - it isn't all travelling the world, big money jobs and Pinterest-worthy home. I have to say now I've turned 27 that my expectations aren't quite the reality.
I'm now closer to 30 that I am to 20 and reality is setting in against those expectations and while I definitely don't have everything figured out, i'm okay with that. Teenage me would have declared impending doom by now but borderline-adult me is okay with where I am. I'm happy and working towards what I want, isn't that all anyone can ask for? There are a few realities of hitting my late 20s though which I wasn't prepared for, the good and the bad.
You're next
Once you pass 25 everyone will assume that you are next for everything. If you are in a relationship, you're next to be engaged. You're next to have a baby. You're next to get married, even if there is no engagement. It wouldn't surprise me if people had already started buying hats and gifts for the big occasions. If you're not in a relationship I've been told that it is very similar to Bridget Jones Diary full of smug happy couples telling you that you are getting old and that time is ticking.
Everything is a little bit clearer
I'm 27 and to be honest it still doesn't feel like I've grown up, but I am giving this adulting thing a go and everything seems a little bit clearer. I know who my true friends are now. Over the years, the ones who were just along for the ride at the time have moved on and I now know who my true friends are that I believe I will have for many years to come. I'm a little bit clearer on where I want my career to go. I'm also a little bit clearer on what I'd like from life, but as I said only a little.
There is never enough annual leave
It becomes a huge puzzle to work out how much annual leave you need, how much you want and how to maximise what you get. Holidays are no longer a treat, they are a necessity to stay sane.
Waterfall Weddings
Wedding 'season' hits like a relentless waterfall, once one wedding invite pops through the letterbox, they just seem to keep coming. Facebook is also full of constant engagement announcements. Wedding 'season' hits your bank account hard, with hen do's (which tend to be abroad now), outfits, presents, overnight hotel stay's, travel and drinks.
Mythical Metabolism
Metabolism disappears and you start to think it may have all been an illusion. You just have to look at carbs and you shape shift into something slightly softer around the edges.
Being ID'd is a triumph
Getting my ID out in a club used to be a real chore, now when asked for my ID I race to find it just to prove that yes I am 27, if I had been under 18 that would have been NINE years ago. Nearly a decade. It's a small but significant victory for my skincare regime, which now consists of about 6-10 steps instead of a single face wipe.
Hangovers are Hell
The entire day, if not longer, after drinking is basically a write off and you only had 3 glasses of wine. Everything hurts twice as bad as it used to. You swear you won't drink again it's that bad, obviously you do, but you swear you won't.
You Spend Less Time on Bullshit
Because you've worked out who you true friends are you become wary of bullshit very quickly and spend much less time getting worked up over it. It makes your previously struggles all the more worthwhile because you know that you've learnt from the past.
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