14 Little Things Only Struggling 20-Somethings Will Be Able To Recognize
Welcome to your twenties, it’s all downhill from here.
1. You’ll wonder when is an acceptable age to become a cat lady. Specifically, a retired cat lady. Because you’ve only been working for a couple years and you’re already planning your very dramatic exit.
2. And your girl squad goes from 100 to 0, real fast. But the ones who are left are your closest, most real friends, and you feel so thankful for them.
3. When someone asks you “how’s work,” your immediate answer is always “WORK.” I’d like to meet the person who decided we’re supposed to know what our dream job is, find it, and live happily ever after. And by ‘meet’ I really mean sock them in the kisser.
4. Employers expect you to have 10 yrs work experience at 22. Oh, sorry, I shoulda started my resume at 12 that’s on me.
5. You start realizing how unrealistic your goals were about growing up. Married up by 25 and kids by 27? So only a few years to find the man of your dreams and get him to put a ring on it so you can have his children a couple years later. Yeah… Not ready anyway.
6. But apparently, everyone else seems to be going above and beyond their goals.Facebook feeds start to fill with pictures of your old classmates getting engaged and having kids and you’re so not ready for any of that.
7. Life never seemed this hard, you thought you’d have it figured out by now. But you don’t, you’re still struggling, but you’re realizing every day that there’s beauty in the struggle, and you’ll get the hang of it… eventually.
8. The Britney Spears song, “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet A Woman” makes complete sense now. It’s basically the soundtrack to your life at this point.
9. People continue to mistake you for much younger than you are, and that used to upset you, but now you’re embracing it. You sometimes even try to seem younger so you can order from the kid’s menu. Hello— it’s cheaper, and there are chicken nuggets.
10. Being broke has a whole new meaning. You realize that all those times you thought you were broke before were nothing compared to this. Back then, your parents were always there to throw you gas money, but now, you’re literally searching for change in the couch cushions for the laundry machines.
11. The worst of times will show you just how much love and support you have in your life. Even though you’re struggling, there are two people there to lift you up and love you unconditionally…
12. So your parents become the real MVPs. You call them all the time, just to chat. Or for money. Or for a free therapy vent-sesh. Either way, they rock.
13. You finally learn when to walk away and when you should fight for what you want. Sometimes it’s totally acceptable to scream at the top of your lungs, at other times you know some things are better left unsaid.
14. And one day you’ll find that if you can make it through your early twenties, you can make it through anything. You got this. 
