"You're a virgin who can't drive"

Yaki Udon noodles with roast “duck”, greens, black fungus in a Japanese style sweet and tangy sauce. Topped with nori, spring onion, pickled ginger and sesame seeds 🍜

Solange and Ebonee Davis for Office Magazine (2019)

Your 30s will be better than your 20s.

ESPECIALLY for those of you who are queer, neurodivegent, mentally ill, or grew up in conservative areas/toxic households. And even if none of those apply to you, your 30s are still almost certainly gonna be better than your 30s. Bc the thing is, you are still hitting major developmental milestones in your 20s. Which means you spend your 20s doing a lot of unacknowledged mental, emotional, and social growth. And make no mistake--that is an INVESTMENT, an investment of time &, effort. And in a few years, once you get into your 30s, the returns on that investment are gonna start really shining through.

I know a lot of us are stressed bc of this idea we've inherited from baby boomers of what we're supposed to accomplish in our 20s. The thing is, that idea--a private home, a career, a life partner--is no longer realistic for most 20 somethings, if it ever was. For so many of us, our 20s are for recovery. Let me reiterate:

Your 20s are for growth and recovery

We are an exceptionally traumatized generation suffering the consequences of back-to-back-to-back economic crises. Throw your parents' expectations into trashcan. Throw the internalized pressure and self-criticism in there with it. You are doing enough. You are losing nothing by approaching your 30s (except hopefully some emotional baggage/old coping mechanisms you've replaced w/ healthier things).