Julie's Jukes: A quarter of a century

By Julie Newell
Editor in Chief

I am officially halfway through my 20s. Or as several people so kindly put it; I am now a quarter of a century old. That’s right, this girl is now 25 years old.

I got to be honest, this is not where I imagined myself to be at 25. I thought at the very least I would be done with college, engaged and starting my career job.

That is not the case, since I am still in college, recently got out of a four-and-a-half-year relationship, and am still trying to figure out what my career job is going to be.

Typically, when I complain about where I am in my life to people who are older than me I get the same few responses; “Oh, don’t worry you got plenty of time,” “You are still so young,” or “Take this time to enjoy your 20s while you still can.”

That last one always confuses me. Everyone always says that the 20s are the best years of your life, so don’t take them for granted. Does anyone remember what actually happened in their 20s? Personally, I think the 20s are some of the worst years of one’s life.

You leave high school and are now thrust into the world of adulthood, with everyone now expecting you to know what you are doing. They expect you to have a five- or 10-year plan made up for your life, and if you drift away from that plan, then everything is ruined.

I know high school is where we are told we find ourselves, but honestly, I think the 20s is when you figure out who you are.

In your 20s you are going through college, living paycheck to paycheck and enduring so much stress and pressure … because once you reach your 30s, you should have everything figured out.

I guess the best way to describe my 20s is playing a game without being given the instructions; and with a timer counting down in the background.

All that being said, I have a pretty good life. I have great friends and a loving and supportive family. Even though I may not be where I thought I was going to be at 25, that doesn’t mean my life hasn’t amounted to anything.

All I can do is keep moving forward with my head held high.