Types of People you will Meet in your 20's

Well, I’m turning 20 in about 20 days so I’m definitely not talking from my own experience but I promise you’ll relate to this.

Becoming an adult is scary. Maybe if you don’t overthink as much as I do, it won’t be, but it’s a really significant time in your life. If you’ve read all the “Things you need to do in your 20’s” posts on motivational Instagram pages, you’d panic knowing everything you’re expected to achieve at this age.

Yes, your life changes every year, but certainly for twenty years you didn’t have to ask yourself things like “do I want to live on my parents’ money for the rest of my life?” Or “Should I get married now?” And then you suddenly have to make these decisions based on opinions of your family, your friends or the YouTubers you follow…it’s the quarter-life crisis!

As intimidating as it seems, becoming an adult is also very exciting. Just knowing that you’re in control of your own life and responsible for the decisions you make, gives an innate sense of drive to - as Gen-Z would call it - “be the best version of you✨”.

Having been a very people’s person, something I care about a lot is to have the right people around me. Yes, it’s time to give up the toxic friends your mom always warned you about. But also, it’s time to analyse who and what you give your energy to. At this age when you have to multitask with studies/college/work/your passion/your side hustle/extra-curricular/your hobbies, you’re going to have very little time to interact with people and build relationships, be it personal or professional, so make sure you’re spending it on the right ones. There’s a few types of people that you’ll surely come across in your 20’s and it’s better to be well aware of what to expect from them. Of course, I made a list to be well prepared, and it’s a legit one.

Colleagues

You’re definitely going to do a job or an internship at this age and meet your colleagues, aka your work friends. If you’re lucky like me, you’ll find like-minded people to enjoy working with. They make work a little less stressful when at the end of the day you both can talk about how Sunil from Sales won’t stop asking you for an update for the 10th time in 2 hours and all you want to do is block his email and change your own so he can never find you again.

Or you’ll find people who do things in the complete opposite way of how you do them and every time you interact with them, you’ll want to reconsider the job. You will always have a difference of opinion or not like the way they work and it will be tough to come to a conclusion on anything with them. Either way, it’s important to learn something from the way they work because each of them has something to offer that you can benefit from. At some point, you’re going to need help from them so find a way to build a good relationship with your colleagues to make your own life easier.

Mentor

This is someone you will not naturally meet but you should surely make an effort to find. I haven’t found mine yet but I certainly hope to in the next few years. You can find your mentor in a teacher or someone at work who you look up to. Your mentor is someone who has more years of experience in your fields of interest and who can guide you through your professional life by helping you grow and knowing you’re on the correct path to achieving your goals. It’s extremely beneficial to have the knowledge that comes from their experience to your advantage. They believe in you and always push you to do your best.

However, this is a relationship that needs to be built over time with someone you can trust and who is ready to invest their time in you. Make sure to ask them for help and guidance whenever you need it and keep them updated with your progression on the same. Talk to them about their experiences and tell them about your goals and plans for the future. Let them know how their advice has helped you and show gratitude. This will make them invested in your development and they’ll see you as worthy of being a mentee. Finding the right mentor can take a while but it is one of the best things you can do for your future self.

Life partner

As cheesy as it sounds, most of us are going to get married between the age of 20 - 30 and spend the rest of our life with a single person. You want to make sure that you’re entirely comfortable with this person and you both know each other in and out. Despite what the conventional mindset may be, you should take as long as you need to get to know someone before committing to them. This is not a decision that is to be driven by your parents. What’s even more important is to make sure you have figured out yourself, and your own personal goals before you start a life with someone else. Take out time to self-reflect and understand what you need from your partner. Yeah, you’re well aware of all this, just reminding you that it’s going to happen this very decade!

Your parents

As I turn older, I see my parents as more human and less super-heroes. I see them as flawed individuals who are the sum of their experiences. At this age, I can relate to them more than I ever could.

We now begin to understand what they have been going through for years and see the responsibilities that come with being an adult. We forgive them for all the mistakes they’ve made and are more grateful for all the things they do for us. This brings us closer to them than we’ve been before. Your parents become your best friends at this age and are always there for you when adulting gets tough.

Toxic people

You’re going to come across people who are fake, manipulative, bring your energy down, kill your vibe and don’t want to see you succeed. Your 20’s is an age where everyone around you gets extremely competitive and people tend to bring each other down rather than growing together. Be careful of who you surround yourself with and how these people influence you. It can be a friend you’ve had for years or a relative who barely knows you. When someone feels toxic you get a gut feeling and something about them doesn’t seem right. Trust your instincts, they’re an unconscious way of telling you something you already know. Notice the smallest of things from people’s behaviour and you’ll figure out their true intentions towards you.

Sometimes your instincts may be curtained by excuses if it’s an old friend you meet out of habit. Make note of how these people make you feel when you’re around them and feel no guilt to cut them off. You can be subtle and slowly distant yourself from them. Toxic people will only keep you from being your best self and it’s crucial to identify them at the right time. Always choose your own mental and personal well-being first.

You’re only going to experience your 20’s once, so make sure you do it with the right people!