I recently turned 30 and I know a lot of people who completed a "30 things to do by 30" challenge but I've opted for something slightly different.
As we approach the ripe old age of THIRTY we feel this is one of the most significant milestones in our lives. Well, at least I did, as did many of my friends...and some friends who are now on that approach are feeling a little trepidation. Many of us feel that we should have achieved certain things in life by the time we reach this landmark and 30 is the age where we are confirmed adults. We've learnt from the turbulence of our teens and through our twenties life has settled and we've become independent and more secure of who we are as individuals.
When I was 18 I sat in the halls at university with my room-mate making our own lists of things we WILL achieve in the next 12 years (our bucket list before we got old!): be ridiculously successful in whatever career I had chosen (I was somewhat directionless), own at least one property, spend 6 months travelling, be published and 26 other things that never came to fruition. Actually that's a lie, I was published a few months before I turned the big three-oh!
While my young-person-bucket-list had got lost there were certain things I had clung onto. As I grew up a bit more I still hoped to be on the property ladder and have started a family by 30. But as we know, life; God; fate; whatever you want to call it had a different idea. My quarter-life-crisis happened and before I knew it I was fast approaching 30 single, as a full-time NHS student living back with my parents surviving off a student loan and bursary! And while these last few years of my twenties have been an incredibly exciting adventure my 29th year sent me into a bit of a panic, this decade was ending exactly as it had started - single, a student, dependent upon my parents, a measly student income and my most valuable possessions being my laptop and mobile phone!
I was able to calm myself in the knowledge that this stagnant decade was soon over, I constantly reminded myself that 30 is the year that everything WILL change. Completing my Midwifery degree shortly after my 30th birthday being the inevitable catalyst which meant I'd graduate, I'd be employed, I'd be leaving my home town (for a second time), I'd be getting an income and could live like a grown up again...but this time it will be better!
And as circumstances meant that I couldn't complete a 30-by-30 challenge, and that my 30th year was already set to be an interesting one I decided to create a list of 30 things I will achieve as a 30 year old. 30 at Thirty.
So, welcome!
This is the start (although slightly late - punctuality has never been a strong characteristic of mine).
So my 30s began and I've no idea when I set this reminder on my phone but it made me laugh when I woke up which is surely a good way to start a new decade, well I'm taking it as a good omen lol! And I created my list. There are still gaps, so suggestions are welcome. And I know some tasks could be considered cheating as they're inevitable for this year, such as graduating, but for me this list is about achievements as well as challenges, but feel free to leave a comment and dispute any.
Here's to a turning point in my life, a fresh decade, a new start and a year full of excitement, fun, terror and everything in between. Feel free to join me. Cheers!
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