As you get older, you experience new things pretty frequently. Living on your own for the first time, your first bad breakup, etc etc. Big life changes are to be expected by any rational human being. But there are a few things that happen as you get older that aren't really explained to you that are pretty key. Here, in no particular order are five important pieces of information I would give a 21 year old that would actually listen to me.
1) Once you're out on your own, you spend more than half your time doing shit you don't want to do*.
This probably varies on how irresponsible you choose to be, and what your living situation is. But no matter what, you're spending time doing shit you'd rather not be doing. Say you live in apartment. Even if you don't have to mow the lawn, you still have to sit down and pay bills or do the laundry. Watching that fith hour of Law and Order: SVU isn't going to make sure your cell phone doesn't get cut off. No matter who you are or where you live, you have to run errands, clean up, cook and all that stuff. Then once you do own something, you can add maintenence and upkeep to all that other stuff.
Sure, you can put stuff off. But as I've gotten older, I now realize that's just delaying the inevidable. There's a reason my dad needed me to take out the garbage right that minute, rather than wait until later. If you just do the shit you need to do when it needs to get done, you have more time to do the stuff you WANT to be doing. He was trying to teach me that.
2) Stress is a mother fucker
This one is a bit tricky because I wouldn't want to scare kids into thinking that adult life is nothing but people putting the screws to you about every little thing. But sometimes it is. The biggest thing about stress is learing to deal with it. In my case it was stopping myself from eating a whole bunch of garbage when work or something else got to be overwhelming. Sure it makes you feel better to rely on a vice, but it's just fucking you over in the long run. Breathe, relax, be logical and you can work through just about anything. If things get to be too much even after all that, talk to someone.
3) All that shit about hangovers, and not being able to eat what you want is true
I maintain that you don't really start getting hangovers until you're over 25. Chances are you've had a hangover if you're under 25 and drink. But not the crippling hangover that lasts two days (sometimes more) and extends to the beggining of your work week. THAT'S a hangover.
It's cliche, but that stuff about changing your eating habits is true too. When I was 22, I worked out more than twice a week and didn't have to concern myself as much with what I ate. I was still fat, but a tighter, more in shape fat. I could still lose 10-15 pounds at the drop of a hat if I put my mind to it. Now? Forget it. Between not wanting to spend my free time at the gym, and how easy it is to eat fast food, it's a struggle. There are still assholes you're friends with that can eat whatever they want and stay skinny through most of their 20's. But by 28, time starts to catch up with those jerk offs too. You're told both of these things when you're younger, but they need to be emphasised more.
Oh yeah, kind of on point, but one day you're going to wake up and stuff just hurts. You'll have no idea why,but it will. Have fun with that.
4) People that are part of your life for a long time will cease to be there
If you're lucky like me, you'll keep a lot of good friends for most of your life. But wether it's death, moving or just plain bad circumstances people will be gone. You'll work with someone for multiple years, develop a friendship and then one day just never talk to them again. Your childhood neighbors move, and after nearly 20 years of seeing them every day, they're gone. It's something, at least for me that never crossed my mind when I was younger. It's not always a bad thing, just a part of growing up.
5) The older you get, the faster time moves
Days turn into weeks, turn into months, turn into years. Then one day you say to yourself; 'Holy shit that was ten years ago...' It's something I dwell on perhaps too much, but it constantly blows my mind how relentless time is. It's never stopping for me, for you, for anyone. Enjoy as much of it as you can.
*Unless you're really rich
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