30 Things to Do Before You Turn 30
For many people, turning 30 years old can feel like a rite of passage. One where they are expected to abandon their “childish” pursuits for more “adult” ones. The Huffington Post Senior Writer, Carolyn Gregoire, notes how popular culture and even scientists portray our 30s as our life’s best years when we are most likely to be financially and personally secure. Gregoire’s piece supports the message that was drilled into me and my friends growing up—by 30, we were expected to be well-established in our careers, be married, and hopefully live in a home with a white picket fence, our significant other, and have at least one or two toddlers running around.
However, that is far from the truth and I am here to tell you that everyone’s journey is different and that you should never seek to live your life by anyone’s standards or expectations but your own. Yes, that includes those of your parents, extended family members, significant other, and peers.
We asked current Not Wasting My Twenties members and a few others what they have on their list of to-dos before turning 30 and compiled a listicle of the most popular responses for you to reference as you journey through your twenties in preparation for the next decade of your life.
Be interviewed on a podcast – Lauren Jillian
Visit the seven wonders of the world – Heather Campbell
Take an acting class – Daniel Nunez
Start a business – Saurabh Shah
Cold email 10 of my heroes – Chris Laux
Win an award for my editorial and PR work – Sarah Wingo
Meet my favorite artist, JoJo – Xmarleenx Apricotta
Travel outside the United States – Raechel Wozniak-Sanford
Take a solo trip to Europe – Fatou Balde
11. Travel to all 50 states – Jorden Wingo
12. Perfect a dish to bring to all dinner parties – Nia Johnson
13. Direct my own short film – Marissa Meizz
14. Give a TED Talk – Delaney Galbraith
15. Write and publish a fantasy fiction novel – Joyce Asong
16. Visit all of the world’s most prestigious galleries – Adam Becket
17. Attend a white-tie event – Kieran Corcoran
18. Visit the Grand Canyon – Meghan Ingham
19. Excelling in my career without sacrificing my happiness – Mariah F.
20. Attending a Beyonce concert – Brytani C.
Kevin Mazur / Getty Images For Parkwood Entertainment file
21. Make the President’s Club at my job – Nneka G.
22. Experience the Rio Carnival – Rosie Fitzmaurice
23. Make cheesecake for the first time – Adam from Travels of Adam
24. Set an annual reading goal – Nicole Booz
25. Look after my skin properly – Daisy Jones
26. Make a difference through volunteering – Jessica Lam
27. Visit Disneyland or Disney World – Deze from By Deze
28. Run a marathon (or a half marathon) – Annette White
29. Find a hobby or a creative outlet that brings me joy – Zarafshan Shiraz
30. Eat a Michelin Starred meal – Lindsay Dodgson
WBP Stars
If I must say so myself, your responses were awesome and they inspired me to evaluate my own list. Should you choose to create your own, I propose you keep it in a location that is easily accessible and set a reminder for yourself to reevaluate your items and check them off as often as you can.
Sometimes life doesn’t always go as planned. If when your 30th birthday approaches, you realize that you haven’t achieved all of the things on your list, give yourself grace. In fact, you may find that as time goes by and you continue to learn more about yourself and what you desire most for your life, some of the goals or experiences you had originally listed may no longer resonate with you and that too is perfectly fine.
For now, my friends, I leave you with this quote: “Be yourself, chase your dreams, and just never say never. That’s the best advice I could ever give someone.” —Taylor Swift.
FEATURED IMAGE VIA AP PHOTO/STEW MILNE