As a twenty-five year old girl forever longing for the person she was when she was seventeen, I have made it my own personal mission to make some sort of sense of this strange, seemingly grey area between girlhood and adulthood.
If you’ve ever found yourself sitting at your desk covered with loose threads from an embroidery project you never finished, Crayons, scribbles on pink construction paper, sticker sheets, your toy Pokey from The Gumby Show (still inside the packaging), and some art you made that you deemed decent enough to Scotch tape to the wall, I’m here to help guide you through the growing pains.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably run out of surface area on your laptop for stickers, accumulated too many knick-knacks, and your bedroom is probably beginning to look like a mini museum of the inside of your brain. You’ve listened to Ribs by Lorde too many times to count, and let’s be honest, there’s only so many times you can refer back to Rookie Mag before you start to feel like the Crypt Keeper.
Although there’s nothing wrong with feeling a bit nostalgic, and having the desire to relive those sweet, teenage years, we won’t be able to enjoy our twenties if we don’t eventually take a few steps forward. No, I’m not saying you have to throw out your beloved American Apparel ancient artifact, but let’s be honest, it doesn’t fit anymore.
I’ve created a list of things you may find helpful to move forward in your twenties without completely letting go of that quirky teenage girl you once were.
- Clean out your closet
If it does not spark joy, or if you haven’t worn it in six months, throw it in the donate pile! Ok, fine, keep the tennis skirt, but the rest has to go. I find that cleaning out your closet not only gives you more space, it helps give you a better idea of your personal style as well. Let’s be honest, it’s time we own clothes that will last us way longer than a trend cycle.
- Find a creative outlet
Having a creative outlet has helped me cope with these growing pains more than anything. Journaling has been my favorite way to preserve my thoughts and feelings, and it’s always nice to look back and see how far I’ve come. It makes you realize just how much you’ve been through, yet it serves as a reminder that you made it through alive. Drawing is another super great way to release some creative energy. You don’t even have to be “good” at it! Making collages is another one of my favorites, whether they be digital or physical. I really enjoy using Landing to create my digital collages.
- Get back into reading…no, seriously
As much as I hate to say this, rereading John Green novels simply won’t feel the same as they did back in the day. So, here’s a list of books I’ve been enjoying lately.
– Just Kids by Patti Smith
– Normal People by Sally Rooney
– Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
– The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
– Too Much and Not the Mood by Durga Chew-Bose
These books feel like grown-up versions of what I loved reading as a teen, and give me the same comfort as those YA books once gave me.
- Give yourself some grace
This one is the most important. Trying to navigate life in your twenties can be extremely difficult, and you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if you’re having a bit of trouble. I know how easy it is to fall back into old habits, and be reluctant to letting go of simpler times, but change is normal and healthy. I’m certainly not trying to pry those sacred years out of your hands, or tell you to completely let go of everything you once knew, but welcoming growth is detrimental to being the best version of yourself you can be.
So, drive around with your windows down blasting Ribs a few more times, buy more sticker sheets, maybe even take a trip down memory lane and scroll through your old Tumblr account. Just don’t forget to enjoy the present, and get out there and make new memories. Eventually, you’ll look back and be glad you did.