20 Things You Should Do Before Turning 20

1. Move to a different state/country.

Moving to a new place is so important to experience while you’re young. When you are young, you are limitless. Plus, there are SUCH amazing college exchange programs, and even job programs that can give you college credit and give you extra cash.

2. Get obsessed with your heath.

Being young and finding passion in your own health is such a fantastic feeling. Everyone should try going vegetarian, getting completely and utterly obsessed with the gym, palates, or yoga. Find some inner bliss in becoming healthy, and start while you’re young.

3. Fall in love with someone you have never/will never speak to.

The boy who makes your coffee every Tuesday morning at Starbucks, fall in love with him and keep it to yourself and then toss and turn in your lust all night long.

4. Get a bad grade on a test for a REALLY good reason.

Education is so important, I value it so much- but there must come a time where we prioritize some epic experience over it, at least once. Go on a spontaneous trip, drink too much wine with your mom and don’t study, whatever it is just make it worth it.

5. Travel.

Take your summers and your breaks and travel around. See the beauty in the world.

6. Learn how to be empathetic to yourself.

So often we get so stuck on fulfilling all of our own expectations, realistic or not. I get it. But, when you are young, that is the time to learn and put forth serious effort into discovering the ways of empathy and compassion.

7. Let your mind get you into trouble.

In my own personal experience, this is only done after two bottles of champagne have already been enjoyed- but don’t limit yourself. Speak your mind, form your beliefs, heck, insult some people with them if that’s what happens. Learn how to speak what you are thinking.

8. Let your heart get broken.

Fall in love so deep that the only way out is to let yourself be destroyed. It is then that we learn exactly how to heal our own body.

9. Lose some friends.

This one is hard, but it’s necessary. If you aren’t losing your friends, either you or them is staying the same and when you are young you MUST let yourself evolve. Growing pains hurt, but they have to happen.

10. Become addicted to a Netflix show and let it ruin your life.

Become invested in a show that is so far from real life that you spend your weekends with your phone on silent and you bawl your eyes out from 12am-12pm. It’s character building, I swear.

11. Follow through with a passion of yours.

Take a painting class, enter some photos into a local art gallery, submit your writing to a favorite site, do something that encourages your passion to keep thriving.

12. Get to know your sexuality.

Discover the truth behind your thoughts and actions, allow yourself to play with them a little, too. So many people wait until they are out of college or in a more stable space to finally allow themselves to come to terms with who they really are; don’t wait, make the most of everything, including your intimate experiences.

13. Wear footie pajamas in public (a lot).

Four words: COOL. KIDS. DO. THIS.

14. Find the balance of never getting any sleep and also taking a lot of naps.

No really, if you discover this, you’re better than me because I still have no idea.

15. Fall madly in love with someone that loves you back.

Still fall in love with someone who will never speak to you, but also fall madly in love with someone who is crazy about you also.

16. Find the beauty in everything.

I promise you you will have NAILED life if you can understand and fully embrace the beauty in even the most tragic of situations. It’s hard to train our mind to do this, but it’s what allows us to always subtly feel some type of bliss.

17. Tell your mama you love her each and every day.

Don’t get to be 20 and have your parents and siblings still have no idea how much you actually idolize them.

18. Create a bucket list/vision board.

Set some goals, know your desires, crave to go places.

19. Vote.

Participate in the evolution of this world. Be aware of the future that you want for you and one day your children, and be apart of making it happen.

20. Fall in love with yourself.

When you are young and growing, that is the time to learn everything about yourself. Know what kind of cupcakes you like best, go to therapy, know how many pillows you like to sleep with, learn new words, find your inner lust, and create your inner peace.