This gif will never get old. Youths will.
Age has never really fazed me. I got my first gray hair my freshman year of college, and I have the face of a world-weary 15-year-old, so I’m truly a paradox. Besides a crippling fear of death that sometimes causes my heart to beat really fast, I don’t really give a crap about how old I am. That being said, I’m only 26 so theoretically I have a lot of life left to live.
I don’t anticipate that dread most people get with turning 30 will happen to me…in that sense, I really do think age is just a number. It might be because society has changed for the better and there isn’t so much pressure to settle down and have a family when you’re 19. Young girls are encouraged to go to college, find what they want to do in life, and then when the time is right, pop out some kids. Luckily my mom already has two adorable grandchildren courtesy of my sister, so the pressure is off me for a while.
Because of all the reasons stated above, I’ve never had the inclination to make a bucket list. Sure, there I things I plan to do and want to do, but I’ve never written them down. They just live in my head where there are no consequences if they never get done. I’ve also been really fortunate in that I’ve been able to travel to some awesome places – I studied abroad in Italy, I’ve been to China, New Zealand, and London for vacations (shoutout to my sisters for studying/living in some cool spots). I’ve been pretty #blessed as my youth friends would say (anyone who actually says this without irony is not my friend).
But at the same time, I’m a pretty big homebody. I know what I like and I stick to it. I always order the same thing at restaurants. Most of the time I would rather stay home and watch Netflix in my sweatsuit than go to a club or bar. And that’s where Jessica Misener’s book comes in. I probably won’t do everything listed in there, because I am much too poor (and there are 600 items listed!!), but there are some things that I should be doing, either to get myself out there more or just to be more adult in general. So I wanted to share some of my favorite bucket list items from this book. But like Emily A said, most of these don’t need an age limit. Pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone can happen at any age.
The Sensible Things
Bucket list items don’t have to be ground-breaking. Especially when you’re trying to get them done before you’re 30! Here are some of my every day, little goals that Jessica Misener suggests.
Take your parents out to dinner – and pay. Even if you can only afford burrito bowls at the nearest taqueria, they’ll appreciate the gesture.
I think this is great advice. If you’re like me, your parents have always been there for you and they deserve a little payback. For helping you move out of your apartment and helping you change changing out all the various light bulbs in your car, they deserve a burrito at the very, very least.
Go a whole day (or week, or month!) without complaining. Ugh this is so hard (See? I just blew it!) But making an effort to curb your griping will motivate you instead to spend that time appreciating what you do have.
I’m very guilty of this. It’s so easy to tell your friends or your significant other all the bad or annoying things that happen every day, but it would be much better to spend that time talking about literally anything else. Venting is great sometimes, but not all the time.
Reduce your carbon footprint. Switch to LED or other low-energy light bulbs, bike or walk instead of driving, and make food choices that support low emissions (e.g. cutting back on your meat intake)
THIS! I watched a sad, sad video today (thanks girl from college who posted it on Facebook) showing a diver in Bali literally surrounded by trash in the water. There were a few sad fish swimming around but countless plastic bags and other waste. It really bummed me out. What also bums me out is that 1 reusable water bottle can save 80 of those cheap throwaway bottles. So everyone get out there and buy a reusable water bottle, go meatless every so often, and get some LEDs – these choices will all save you money in the long run anyway, and they’ll also SAVE OUR WORLD!
Get a library card.
It will save you so much money. Plus, libraries are very soothing places to visit and librarians have the best book recommendations.
The Get Out of Your Comfort Zone Things
If the category above is the meat and bread of the bucket list sandwich, the items below are the delicious aioli and the specialty toppings that you definitely need, but should be used sparingly. You want a few crazy, maybe unattainable items on your list, but not so many that it’s overwhelming. Here are a few items that stood out to me.
Spend the weekend in a luxe treehouse. Did you know you can rent one online?
Quick, open a new tab with Airbnb because this sounds awesome. I’m picturing mine in the middle of the Costa Rican rainforest, where I can wake up to the sounds of (friendly) monkeys frolicking.
Soak in one of Mexico’s Pink Lakes. In the village of Las Coloradas, tiny plankton and algae give lakes a vibrant pink hue. You can even spot flamingos striking a pose in the water.
I didn’t even know these existing and now I’m kind of obsessed. Google it.
Dye your hair a wild color. Silver? Blue? Mermaid green? One bright streak of neon pink? The rainbow’s the limit!
I’ve already decided that when my hair eventually (considering that gray hair at 18 I’m guessing this will be sooner rather than later…) turns more gray than brown, I’m going crazy and dyeing it. It’s just hair – if it looks terrible just dye it again or cut it off. It will grow back.
Do at least one small thing every day that is outside your comfort zone.
Easier said than done, but definitely worth the risk.
Make a bucket list or don’t, but it’s always important to have goals and aspirations. If you’re looking for a little inspiration on that front, Things to Do Before You’re 30 will help. It’s funny, insightful, a little over the top, but at the very least it will get you thinking about what you want out of your life. Next thing you know you’ll be in Iceland watching the Northern Lights from an airplane you’re about to jump out of.
