Born To Find Myself

Thanks to the eccentric depiction of “twenty somethings” in today’s society; whether it be blogs splattered all over the internet, television series, films or simply trendy hashtags such as #postgradproblems, twenty something has been turned into an exceptionally stereotyped and dare I say dreaded age group. Most twenty something’s are graduating college, searching for our first “real jobs”, finding our purpose, hooking up, breaking up, making shit up and eventually getting married, buying homes, paying bills, having kids and slipping quickly into adulthood.

It seems like just yesterday we were getting ready for theme parties, eating at the dining hall, planning our outfits for the football tailgate or staying up all night in the library. I’m not sure if it’s just my friends, my acquaintances, or my alma mater (LET’S GO MOUNTAINEERS!) but transitioning from “the wonder years” of college and turning into a “real person” is a difficult transition (to put things lightly). Unfortunately, social media has turned into a barometer for insecure twenty something’s to stack up their life against their peers. Who has the coolest job? Who’s engaged? Who’s having a baby? The real question should be WHO CARES? Turn the focus on who you are and who you want to be. I promise you will feel much better about your life. Many of the articles about twenty somethings depict us as angst ridden, awkward human beings who lack the hutzpah to get out there and grab the bull by the horns. I beg to differ.

Personally, I would like to defend not only myself, but also the majority of my fellow twenty somethings. I am not saying we aren’t angsty sometimes. We are definitely broke and we undoubtedly miss the carefree lifestyle of being university students. We may be heartbroken, we may be confused but I can tell you one thing; we can thrive dwelling in the possibilities.

If I could stay this age forever, I would. Sometimes people say that children are born with “old souls”, I believe I was born with a “twenty something” soul. The feeling that the world is at my fingertips is a feeling that cannot be replicated.

Instead of being scared of becoming successful, I urge my generation to get hungry, get motivated, and get creative. We live in a world where you can build a multimillion-dollar empire from the comfort of your own home. Whether it is fitness, fashion, interior design, business, sports, writing, pop culture, education… you can explore any fascist of your imagination with some education, dedication, and persistence. After receiving my Master’s degree in Education I decided to move to Thailand to teach, travel and soak up the world around me. It was the best decision I ever made. Pretty good, for a twenty something.

We are a generation that will probably create the majority of careers we pursue. We are the master’s of the universe. We are all digital natives, which soon will no longer be a hot commodity. Twenty somethings… this is a call to arms. Don’t succumb to the awkward, confused, intern persona that the world is thrusting upon us. Let’s get out there and make changes. Let’s embrace the opportunities, celebrate the vulnerability of our youth, and magnify the creativity of our dreams. No one is going to do it for us.

I believe I was born to be twenty something. Born to dream. Born to inspire. Born to embrace uncertainty. Born to “find myself”.

I am perfectly content being a twenty something. I am perfectly content not knowing where I will live or work next. I am perfectly content because I believe, without a shadow of a doubt; I will be successful. I will make my wildest dreams come true. I will pour my heart into my life and the lives of those I touch. If we all believed those sentiments, acted upon them, and encouraged others to do the same, our age group would no longer be a group to be scrutinized, pitied or frowned upon. We can make twenty something’s a group to be admired, feared, desired and inspired by. Let’s make it happen. Dwell in the possibilities. It’s a beautiful place to be. Be more than a something.