Ever wished you had someone older and wiser guiding the way for you through this big buggering muddle that’s your mid-20s? Us too.
Luckily someone had the clever idea to ask the women of Reddit’s TwoXChromosomes subreddit, who’ve been through it all before, for advice.
Here’s some of their best tips...
This lady, who knows what’s important
‘Save more money. You don’t really need all those PSLs (pumpkin spice latte), but you do need a good emergency fund, lowered debt, and beginnings of a retirement fund!’
Ditto for this one
‘You’re never getting back all that money you spent on shots for evenings you now don’t remember!’
This lady, who knows what’s up
‘When someone says they aren’t ready to be in a relationship, they are about two months away from committing to someone else.’
This girl, who has your best interests at heart
‘Establish a healthy relationship with alcohol/weed, whatever that means for you.’
This lady, who’s speaking from experience
‘Backup your data.’
This woman who has no time for Taylor Swift
‘Don’t waste time on people who aren’t interested in putting in time with you. My circle of people has dwindled significantly. I stopped dating guys who played it hot and cold, and I only have about two really good friends. If an acquaintance flakes on me, or doesn’t return my texts, I don’t keep trying. I really wish that I had learned sooner to let go and move on. I’m a lot happier now and I feel like I get to spend my time with high-quality people.’
This lady, who knows that the earlier you start, the easier it’ll be to carry on
‘Stay active. If you did athletics in your youth, all the better. Keep it up or start now and keep doing it to stay healthy. Your cardiovascular system and bones will be better for longer. And you’ll feel better.’
This lady, who knows not to get too involved at work
‘Don’t date people at work. Keep your work life and your sex life separate. I always did but my friends didn’t. Don’t underestimate how messy it can get.’
This woman, who hit the nail on the head
‘Not every relationship is worth saving.’
This lady, who’s starting over
‘Don’t be afraid to reboot.
I’m 30, and have just gone back to uni to retrain into a new career. I hated my first career choice, but blamed my hatred on job insecurity and lack of progress on my terms due to the former. I kept telling myself I’d just find that one great job and then it would be great.... and then I found it, but I still didn’t like my career or my industry. So instead, I did it because it made me good money and I figured at the very least, that was enough, because it would provide my partner and I with the job security I was now so desperate to have, 6yrs down the line.’
This lady, who has the dating world down
‘When you’re on a date, your number one priority should be determining if you like the other person rather than trying to impress that person. It’s okay to disappoint somebody on a date or even when meeting friends – the alternative is that you have a relationship/friendship that requires you to be somebody you are not.’
This lady, who wants to hammer this point home
‘As many have said: WEAR SUNSCREEN.’
This lady, who knows that some people aren’t good for you
‘It took me until my 30s to learn to recognise Difficult People and learn that I’m better off not having them in my life. Do you feel like you have to walk on eggshells around someone? Is it draining to spend time with them? Do you feel bad about yourself around them? It might be a Difficult Person, and you are (probably) not obligated to have them in your life.’
This lady, who’s got it all covered
‘Take care of your body, it’s the only one you get, and hopefully you want it to stay in optimum running order a very long time yet.
If you smoke, quit. If you’re overweight, lose it. If you don’t eat enough/drink too much, balance that out.
Listen to that feeling in the pit of your stomach. 9/10 it’s right.
Moisturiser. Religiously. Find one that works with your skin type and make it a long term relationship.
Spend time with your parents as an adult (if you have a good relationship with them). Make time for them. They love you, and you never know how much time you have left with them.
Don’t just think about how old you can be/how long you can put off having children to get the promotion/buy the house/get a better car/save money/wait for him to be ready to be a father. Think about the fact that you’d like to be around for a lot of your children’s adult lives, and the longer you put off having kids, the less time you have with them. (Not saying to have kids before you’re ready/mature enough. Just saying...think about the flip side too. I still call my folks daily, and I’m in my 40s. If I had a kid now, when they were in their 40s, I’d be in my 90s)
Realise that if your friends have babies and you don’t yet, their lives and priorities have shifted. It’s nothing personal.
Life is too short to take people’s crap. If they don’t treat you with the same respect you give them, they don’t need to be in your life anymore. And that is perfectly okay.’
Read the rest of the reponses here.
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
Here Are The Traits You Need To Be A Successful Female Millennial
Follow Jess on Twitter @Jess_Commons
Picture: Matilda Hill-Jenkins
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.