6 Things I Wish I Knew When I Turned 20

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The early 20s was all happy clappy with zero cares in the world because I believed I could get away with anything. The mid-20s; I got to know things were not as easy as I thought and finding a job was top of my to-do-list. The late 20s; different interests and reality checks in hard.

Turning 27 came with mixed feelings, serious society’s expectations and self and career growth expectations. I have achieved a number of things, some through planning and hard work, while some through being at the right place at the right time and being prepared. What some call “luck”.

But there are certain things I wish I knew when I turned 20. Today, I want to go back in time and tell myself some few things and how to do them differently. Things that my younger siblings, friends and future children can borrow as they journey through the 10 years of being 20 something.

Here are 6 Things I Wish I Knew When I Turned 20

Maintain professional connections

Those professionals who came to give career advice at the campus. Your lecturers, people you interacted with during your internships, those you met when your friend dragged you to that networking event and those classmates.

Today, I find myself going back to those professional connections and classmates for guidance or referrals for job opportunities. Maintain these professional connections as you never know when they will come in handy, as we all end up at different places like wild oats.

It’s not about losing friends, it’s finding out some are fake

The seven years of my 20s journey have seen me lose touch with a significant number of people. Today, at 27, I don’t have as many friends as I did when I was 20 or 25. At the time, I would feel guilty as I thought I was not doing enough to maintain the friendships.

I soon realized I was crafting a smaller group of friends who were actually contributing to my life positively. This small circle crafting saw all the fake friends drop like they had been sprayed with doom. The handful of friends I have now is much better than the 50 “close friends” I had in the last seven years.

Related Article>>> An Open Letter To 20 Something Young Kenyans

It’s the perfect time to take risks

Being in your early 20s is the time to take risks. You can afford screw-ups during this phase as you can make amends on time. If you want to try your hand in business? This is the time. Want to quit your job and travel? Want to start a new life in a new town? Now is the time.

If you find the career path you choose isn’t right, you still have time to switch it up again. You will soon hit the mid-20s when the madness starts to shape up. Go out there and take risks, learn from every opportunity and soldier on darling.

Save your money

I know you are already rolling your eyes and saying you don’t even have enough money to “survive”. That little you have, start putting something aside every month. You don’t need to buy a new outfit every time you have a wedding, networking event or going for a date.

You don’t have to get a fancy place to live or eat at expensive places just because you’re making money, save! Save! Save! Save as much as you can. That piggy bank will come in handy when you need to make an investment and other people are busy hopping from one club to another.

Not everyone will like you

Deal with it! As early as you can. Not everyone is going to like you and you are not going to like everyone back, that’s just life. You need to stop caring what everyone will think of you when you doing an unpaid internship, when you live in a bedsitter or buy your clothes from gikomba or Mr. Price.

I learn that you cannot please everyone and that it’s better to have lived within your means than drown in debt. Don’t end up becoming part of the statistics in your circle of friends where you pretend to be rich and all you do is borrow to appear rich. You know how that badmouthing goes.

Living within your means will see people like you for who you are and do away with the pretenders. That is just how this life is; we can’t please everyone.

Manage your expectations

Much of our disappointments and frustrations with life, people, and even God is all because we presume that things should go our way always. Just because you have graduated does not guarantee you a job. You have to put in the work and brand yourself well for the job market.

Just because your friend got a high paying job does not mean you go turning down jobs because they don’t match those of your friends. Manage your expectations by learning to sacrifice things. Don’t wait till at the brink of things to get the sermon that you can’t have it all.

Be patient, have a plan, evaluate your emotions and remain teachable.

At the end of it all

You are not old. You’ve barely started your “life”. Just because you’ve graduated, that does not make you old. You’re at the prime of your life and the opportunities for you are endless. You are the youngest at that workplace, so learn as much as you can. Quit the “I’m old” talks and just enjoy your life as you shape yourself with each step.

Love more, laugh more and live more. Life is short! Enjoy it the best you can.

What are some of the things you’ve learnt since you turned 20 or you wish you knew before turning 20? Share in the comment box below and enrich someone’s life.

Happy Easter Holiday. Be safe!

The writer is a Communications Officer at Corporate Staffing Services, a leading Recruitment firm that offers CV Writing, Job Placement & Career Advice. Email: Elizabeth@corporatestaffing.co.ke

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