Life in your twenties

The time you spend in your twenties is, perhaps, most crucial to your development as a person. This is the time you get to learn things that your school and college never taught you about the real world. The only problem, however, is that there is no manual to help guide you through this tumultuous time.

Let’s face it, your twenties are typically when you have your first real job and chances are you probably won’t like it. You picked a major in college that you thought would prepare you for the job you thought you wanted — but after working relentlessly from nine to five, you may come to the inevitable realisation that it really wasn’t what you wanted. You’re not alone, a majority of people at this age have no idea what career they want to pursue.

You may manage to get a job right out of college, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be rolling in the dough. Put the thoughts of going out every night out of your mind, because your budget won’t allow it. You are going to be faced with expenses you didn’t even know existed. However, at the end of the day nothing feels better than the adrenaline rush you feel when you get a hold off your hard earned money. You learn to stop taking money for granted.

You thought you will always remain fit, but the days of carefree living, where you could have Nutella for breakfast, pizza for lunch and a cheeseburger for dinner are long gone. This is the time where most people experience a change in their metabolisms. People warn you about many things, but they often forget to warn you about the post-grad pounds.

The real world hits hard when you learn that there is no more snoozing the alarm and no more skipping class. Out of all the life lessons, the most important thing you will learn is that everyone is solely driven by self-interest and that survival is the biggest instinct any human has. People are selfish, optimism is half the battle already won and negativity can kill you. The people with whom you choose to surround yourself often sway your behavior, preventing you from reaching your full potential. Get rid of such people and associate yourself with others who encourage you to succeed. Sometimes you just outgrow certain people; don’t try to fix it, just accept it and move on. There is evil in this world, but there is good too, it is up to you and you alone which one you spread.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2014.