Believe it or not, life gets even better. As you get older, every birthday you celebrate ends up feeling a little more magical. It's like finding a few extra French fries at the bottom of your takeout bag, like, all the time. Now, you might be wondering what's next, and if you've already "peaked." Take it from me: You haven't. There are so many things that get better in your mid-20s that you can start looking forward to right now.
I always thought that the whole concept of "peaking" was a little ridiculous. I remember back in high school, people would listen to certain pop artists or cheer over certain football players, saying that they were at the top of their game — they had peaked. I also remember thinking that this meant there wasn't any more room for growth. That seems a little off, right?
I still think so, and have changed my mindset and vocabulary because of it. I welcome the growth and the idea that things can just keeping getting better. People can peak more than once in their lifetimes. Right now, you may be wondering what you have to look forward as you go through this decade in your life, and it's a lot! These seven things, in particular, are about to be the best that they've been yet. Brace yourself.
First things first: Once you're in your mid-20s, your adulting skills will seem drastically better. You'll have either lived on your own for a little while, or participated in the "real world" enough to know some things. It'll feel good, and give you a lot of confidence as you continue to move forward.
You'll know what to do if the water heater in your apartment breaks, or how to make a budget for yourself. You'll have some answers to questions like, "What do you want to be when you grow up," and "Where do you see yourself living in the near future?" Life is wrapped around your finger!
Your Saturday nights are already pretty sweet. But, imagine this: They're going to get even better. That's because you'll likely start saying "no" to going out all the time. You'll find a balance between hitting up the local restaurants and bars, and staying cozy on your couch.
It'll start with one of your best friends sending a text in the group chat saying, "Does anyone want to order a pizza tonight?" Everybody will give the idea a big thumbs up, and then you'll all get together at somebody's place.
You'll laugh over inside jokes and listen to your favorite playlists until midnight. You might even play a few rounds of the True American game from New Girl!
In your 20s, friends may come and go. Some of the friendships you've had since middle school may fade away, and you'll get close with the girls you work with or the people who live across the hall. It's natural and normal, even if it feels tough at the time.
Truth is, the universe is just making room for even better friendships and relationships in your life. It's giving your time and energy to people who will support you and lift you up, as you continue to pursue your passions and dreams. (It's also helping you find the people who love brunch as much as you!)
When you first began this decade of your life, you knew that you needed a resumé, and some people who would give you good recommendations. But, you had very little interview practice and might not have known exactly what you wanted to do career-wise.
You still might not have all the answers, and that's OK. Nearing your mid-20s, though, you're bound to have "being a professional" down to a science. You'll have a closet of business-casual clothes, and an idea of your passions and future goals. That deserves a pat on the back!
If there's one thing that I noticed about myself as I got closer to my mid-20s, it's that my texting habits got so much better. I used to be attached to my phone — to the point where my high school superlative was "Always On Their Phone." Now, I'm much more mindful of disconnecting from my screens and wandering to where the WiFi is weak.
It's honestly refreshing to get these breaks from the digital world. Social media and your inboxes currently have you feeling like the entire world is at your fingertips, which is as equally amazing as it is and stressful. You'll find that, as you grow up, you want to be more present.
Celebrating your birthday changes in your mid-20s. It becomes a more intimate affair — a nice dinner with your closest friends, or a road trip with your siblings. And it's much better because of it.
You have to admit: The usual parties or nights out at the bar are getting pretty overrated. You want to have a different kind of celebration that includes doing something adventurous or exciting. You want to spent an entire day being pampered at the spa, or spend your 25th birthday alone and still have the best time. It's possible, and truly something you can look forward to.
Last but not least, your mid-20s come with lots of new self-care routines. You begin to learn the beauty of spending time with yourself. Suddenly, spending an entire day making yourself good food and re-organizing your room sounds like the very best idea.
It all starts with taking yourself out to a restaurant, or spending a solo weekend in the mountains. You rediscover yourself like Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love, and start ditching the things in your life that don't bring you happiness.
Then, you realize that you have much more room in your life to, well, live. You have space to grow and time to make this decade even better, because here's some more of the 4-1-1: You don't "peak" in your mid-20s, either. The best is always yet to come.
