“Loves can fade into ‘firsts’ and don’t have to be ‘forevers’.”

Paige,

A love letter to your 20’s, huh? Really? As someone who has never written or received a love letter, this may be a bit of a stretch. Anyway, just try to dig deep and hold back the cringing. I still prefer emotional moments to be trapped between the pages of a juicy romance novel. Not public, involving real humans, like this one. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool… Let’s try to keep this low-key. 

First of all, when the fuck did I turn twenty? Oh yes, university. Not sure what to tell you about how you will feel about school in the years to come. Is it worth it? Working all those unpaid internships? Studying so hard? Spending all that time on extra clubs and projects? It certainly isn’t about to lead you down the path you’re aiming for. Fortunately, paths can change. You can literally change your mind. If something is not working, you can choose something else. It’s wild. Loves can fade into “firsts” and don’t have to be “forever’s”.  There are so many passions and people in the world to fall in love with. You don’t need to hold on to them all so tight forever. It’s a bitch, but this realization is a game-changer. Just remember to try to tell the truth more than you lie. Own your failures, and double own your successes. Celebrate! Enjoy good things, like the things that you like.

Leaving college is the best. The “real world” is good. You have way more control over your life situation. You work, get paid, have free time, then spend your time and your money the ways you choose. 

“THERE ARE SO MANY PASSIONS AND PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TO FALL IN LOVE WITH. YOU DON’T NEED TO HOLD ONTO THEM ALL SO TIGHT FOREVER.”

Teaching English abroad; it’s a mystery. Seems too good to be true. Although in fairness, it is. But it is also surprising and rewarding. That shit takes you places. Buy the plane ticket. Take the job. Quit the job. Take another job. Hit up some islands and beaches. Learn how to relax every once in a while, for fuck sake. 

Pour love on those kiddos while you can, while it lasts. Give them the hype for the life you wish you could have every day. Make special things Special. Make everyday things Everything: fun, funny, challenging, scary, and whatever else. You grow as a goddamn human. Blah blah blah, cliché cliché, IDK, whatever.

“BUY THE PLANE TICKET. TAKE THE JOB. QUIT THE JOB. TAKE ANOTHER JOB. HIT UP SOME ISLANDS AND BEACHES.”

Since my emotional range seems to be coming to its end, I’ll finish with where I am now. I am 27 years old, so not quite done with this crazy decade yet. I’m writing this letter during what may end up being the most difficult time of my twenties. The past year or two have been strange and a huge bummer most of the time. To top it all off, as soon as I built up the courage to follow one of those pesky life-long dreams of mine…a literal global pandemic erupts. Cool. Maybe in a year from now, I can write ‘A Love Letter to my Coronavirus Quarantine Self’ and pass on some wise perspective. For now, I’ll just have to keep figuring it out as I go. 

Yikes. Was that a lame ending? 

I’m gonna go jam out to some Taylor Swift.

Peace,

Paige