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20 Things You Should Know by 20


 

As I round the corner and enter my second decade of life, I’ve come to realize a few things that are necessary to know how to do at my age. The process of growing up is a strange one and I'm learning every day, but these are some basic things I think we should all know how to do by the time we turn 20:

 

1. Dress a simple wound: invest in hydrogen peroxide and a Costco pack of Band-Aids. If you're anything like me, you'll get a few scrapes every so often. Disinfect & wrap it up, because no one wants to see your bloody cuticle. Plus, an infected cut will require more medical attention in the future than if you were to just take care of it in the first place.

White House Black Market Work Pants

2. Put together a professional outfit in under 5 minutes: You never know when you'll need to look nice; it could be for a job interview, the first day at work, or a meeting. Having a go-to professional-looking outfit will impress your employers and boost your confidence. Plus, you’ll be able to hit snooze a few more times when you already know what you’re wearing. It’s a win-win. These work pants are my favorite; they're super comfy and chic, too!

3. Paint your own nails: I'm a huge fan of mani-pedis. However, the cost can really add up. The average gel manicure is about $30, or $55 for a mani-pedi. If you go to the nail salon every 2 weeks for a year, you’ll end up spending about $1,320. Holy $#!% Of course, get your nails done when you have a bad week, a special occasion, or you just want to treat yourself- but don't make a habit of it unless you're ready to fork over a grand.

4. Have a daily makeup routine: Have a go-to look for everyday. For me, that means mascara, concealer, powder, and brows. For fun nights out, amp it up a little. The Naked Palette 3 by Urban Decay is a favorite of mine to really make the eyes pop.

5. Take time to relax: The power of relaxation is unreal. I could probably watch Netflix for 2 days straight. Know when it's time to take a break, kick back, and chill.

Koko

6. Love an animal: I'm a firm believer in having a dog. No other companion will teach you as much about love, care, and loyalty than a pup (unless you have a kid, but that's a little too much responsibility for me). I guess cats are okay too, but if you really want to learn how to love in its purest form, rescue a dog. You won’t regret it.

7. Love a human: This one is a little harder than loving a puppy. Humans make more mistakes, and they aren’t cute ones. Learn your love language to help better understand yourself, and the way you love others.

8. Know an answer to "tell me about yourself": This is literally the first interview question I’m asked in every single interview I've ever been in. Know your answer ahead of time, but don’t plan it out so much that you sound like a rehearsed robot.

9. Check into a flight:

Actually, just basic airport knowledge. Don’t pack liquids over 3.4 fluid ounces in your carry on, don’t pack weapons or scissors, print your boarding pass ahead of time, bring your ID. DON’T HOLD UP THE LINE IN SECURITY BY REFUSING TO REMOVE YOUR METAL BELT/SHOES/KEYS.

10. Apologize: The art of apologizing should be a required gen-ed class. It’s more important than Trigonometry, I promise. Learn how to own up to your mistakes and genuinely say you’re sorry. Apologies mean more than you think, and can dissolve arguments and anger.

Gold Heels

11. Walk in heels: Don’t be that girl on the sidewalk grasping on to a dirty brick wall because her heels are too high. It’s not only embarrassing, but also uncomfortable. My first heels were from Kohl’s. They were gold, sparkly, and six inches high. I had NO IDEA what I was doing when I put them on, but I was 12 and determined to wear them. I spent that day walking slowly on my treadmill, learning how to balance on what felt like stilts. I felt dumb, but IT WORKED. After a few hours of practice, I nailed it. Now, I feel confident enough to walk in any pair of heels without looking like a gangly baby.

12. Know your SSN: I can’t tell you how many of my friends have had to call their parents to ask for their Social Security Number. It’s actually scary how many of them truly have no idea what it is. Either keep your SSN card in your wallet or in a safe with your passport, or memorize the number. You can rap the lyrics to Kendrick Lamar’s new songs; trust me, you can remember a 9-digit number. On a similar note, you should have your insurance card on you at all times. You definitely don’t have to pay for your own plan yet (Mom, I’m staying on yours until I’m 26 ok?) but you do need to at least have the card in your possession.

13. Know when to go home: Cue * Closing Time *. But seriously, know when to leave the party. Don’t be the last one standing, chugging a Red Bull & Vodka while everyone else Ubers home. Don’t be that person that passes out on the host’s couch. It’s not fun for anyone (except maybe the few frat boys who think it’s funny to draw things on sleeping people?). Have a ‘buddy system’, set an alarm to remind you when to leave, or simply make up an excuse to go home. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used the, “my roommate is locked out and I have to go let her in” line to escape an awkward encounter. On the other hand, don’t be afraid to stay if you’re having fun.

Cranberry drink

14. Know your favorite cocktail: If you’re in the U.S., the legal drinking age is 21. But I’m sure you can imagine what alcohol tastes like if you’ve ever smelled it, and I’m sure you can imagine what would taste good with it.

15. A quick hairstyle before leaving the house: Let me paint you a horror story scenario: you snooze your alarm a little too long, you fall back in to a deep sleep, then wake up 20 minutes later in a panic. You’re going to be late for work / class if you spend more than 5 minutes on your hair (P.S. I’m not sure why you took the time to calculate how much time you have to get ready, but whatever, just go with it). What on earth will you do with your hair?!? I’m pretty much the queen of the single braid, but I love a good messy bun too.

16. How to cook at least one good meal: For me, it’s my

Spaghetti

family’s secret spaghetti recipe. Although I’ll never post it on here, I can give you a few pointers to enhance sauce out of the jar. Sauté onions or garlic, add the sauce, and top it off with some fresh herbs or spices, like basil. If you’re not a spaghetti person (how?!), find another easy recipe that tastes great and makes you look like a pro chef. You never know if you’ll need to impress your future in-laws, or cook dinner for a group of people you don’t know very well in the mountains on a last-minute ski trip- that last one is from experience.

17. Know your size for online shopping: Or for regular shopping. Either way, know your size so when your siblings or parents ask for gifting purposes, you can tell them. And while they may not always pick out the cutest clothes, at least you know they’ll fit. Beware, H&M runs extremely small for some reason.

18. Your blood type: I'll admit, I didn't know this until sophomore year of college when my roommate ordered not one, but two blood test kits after staying up all night reading about the Blood Type Diet. She wanted a backup in case one of the tests was a fluke. Luckily for me, the first test she did was successful, and she ended up with an extra blood test kit and offered it to me. One finger prick and 2 minutes later, I discovered my blood type. The whole Blood Type Diet is probably a load of B.S., but it is useful to know your blood type. In case of emergency, you can donate blood to save a relative’s life, or you can go to the blood bank to donate and save 3 strangers’ lives. (Hit me up if you're A+)

Discover

19. How to use a credit card (not just how to swipe it): Despite my fear of drowning in debt, I recently became a first-time credit card owner. I was given a ‘credit line’, a ‘balance’ and a boatload of confusion between the two. I’m a smart girl, but the world of credit is overwhelming, so I’ll break it down in to basic terms for both our sakes’. The credit line is how much you’re allowed to spend each billing period. The balance is how much you’ve spent this billing period to date. Your credit score is a number that some credit fairy agency magically made up (I’m kidding- there’s probably some method the bureaus have to determine your credit score when you’ve never had a credit card before, but I have no idea how they do that). You increase your credit score by paying off your card every month. The key is to pay more than the minimum payment each month to avoid falling into debt via the interest. Try to pay it in full each month if you can. I once heard a wise saying: “Never buy something unless you can afford to pay for it twice”. Not sure who said it, but it sounds smart.

20. A 1, 5, & 10 year plan: You should start to have a vague idea of what you want to do with your life. You definitely don’t need to know all the specifics, but setting goals is a great way to keep you on track. For instance, I want to land a good job and buy a car within the next year or so. Writing these goals down in a planner or even the notes on my phone makes them more real, and therefore, I’m more motivated to work towards them.

 

What do you think every 20 year old should know? Am I crazy for not seeing the point of a checkbook? Mom, can you still make my doctor’s appointments for me? Please tell me I don’t have to know how to mortgage a house by now…

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