25 is the age that always felt so far away, but it got here faster than I thought it would. There is nothing special about turning 25, but it feels like a milestone or a good number to measure how far I have come. It marks my 3rd year out of college and my 9th year of living by myself. As a kid, I imagined myself to be a fully capable and mature adult at 25, and I reflected to see whether I fulfilled that expectation.
I’m not sure how others feel about their early 20s, but I am so happy the first half of my twenties is over. Every year from that period felt so long, lonely and tumultuous, which I think is inevitable when you are growing and trying to figure yourself out.
I began the second half of my twenties with a fun mother daughter weekend, which was infinitely better than my past birthdays. In boarding school, my birthday always fell on Parents Weekend, so my friends were out with their families (I didn’t tell my parents to come, because it was a long drive). Although I had a couple memorable birthday celebrations in college, I just remember being stressed about midterms and interviews. I spent my 23rd birthday alone. For my 24th birthday last year, I worked in the office until midnight.
The hard times of my early twenties were obviously much more than lonely birthdays. When I was 20-22, I had the typical concerns of any college student: going through a breakup with my first love, balancing classes and extracurricular activities (namely, 180 Degrees Consulting) and trying to figure out my post-college ambitions. After graduating, I was 23 and moved to Boston, and I wasn’t happy with my job in consulting. It got much better after I moved to New York and switched to investment banking, but that process in itself was incredibly stressful. My 24th year was an extremely steep learning curve with several 100+ hour work weeks and the subsequent emotional exhaustion, but it has paid dividends as I am a lot happier gaining the skillsets I want and making new, meaningful friendships.
While my early twenties were tough years, I am glad I made it out as a stronger person. I’m not sure if the person I am today is the 25-year-old I had envisioned myself to be as a child, but I think I fulfilled that expectation in a way by learning to be independent, resourceful and resilient.
When I look at the second half of my twenties, my birthdays will most likely stay lonely and my daily life probably won’t be peaceful and quiet, but if I learned anything from my early twenties, it is that you are not growing if you are not experiencing pain, and that that pain pays extremely handsome rewards. With that being said, I am excited and ready for the challenges that will help and train me to get more established in my career, reach new heights and meet new, genuine people.
Let’s get it!
