Writing your bucket-list down is a good way to keep track of all the adventures and accomplishments you complete while in your 20s. Students should be living their 20s to the fullest. Photo by Emily Wight.
For those of you who are in your 20s, congratulations.
These next 10 years of your life may be filled with partying after reaching legal age, getting hitched in what you hope to be your fairytale wedding, or even graduating college to start off the rest of your future. Whatever your future holds, the possibilities are endless.
While you’re here at Dixie State University, you may be faced with all of these different pathways, and whether you’re the king of the party or the bookworm studying for finals, it’s OK to live life in your 20s to the fullest.
In case you’re running a blank on any ideas, three professors are here to provide what they think are major events to put on your bucket list for your 20s.
Travel somewhere new
Education Placement Director Joy Challis said she recommends that everyone travel to some place new.
She said her personal favorite place to travel is Paris, which she was able to travel to for the first time during a college travel-abroad trip. Challis said everyone should find their own special place to travel to, whether it is inside of the U.S. or international.
“Everyone should have a place that fills their heart,” Challis said. “They should have that place that becomes very special to them, and they should be able to go there and feel their soul there.”
Go to a concert
Lauren Golden, video and broadcast production coordinator, said a big must for a bucket list that’s pretty easy to do is to go to a concert. She said not to be afraid to spend money on this because going to a concert you actually care about is something you’ll never forget.
“That’s always a really fun opportunity,” Golden said. “I recommend taking a friend with you, or two or three, or even go by yourself to branch out.”
Learn a new language
Challis said she also recommends learning a new language, whether that be in school or just on your own. She said it’s important because it’s exposing yourself to a new culture and a more diverse outlook on life.
“Just the experience of learning was so valuable,” Challis said. “It opened my eyes up to the world and what is there.”
Learn something new… Anything!
If learning a new language isn’t something you’re interested in, then just pushing yourself to learn something new or out of your comfort zone is also a must for any bucket list, Golden said.
Ideas for this could be learning to cook, learning to play chess, or even finally getting that driver’s license you’ve been too scared to work on, she said. You should do this because it opens your horizon to new and interesting possibilities and gives you another skill that you can use for future opportunities, Golden said.
“Learning new skills and unique skills that may not necessarily relate to what you are going to do or what you like to do are super necessary,” Golden said.
Do something out of your comfort zone
Golden said pushing yourself to do something out of your comfort zone is one of the most important and influential things to do during this phase of your life.
“You might learn something new about yourself or meet new people, which is always exciting too,” Golden said.
There are certain opportunities that only come up when you are in college or in your 20s that you need to take advantage of, Golden said.
One way to go out of your comfort zone is going on adventures and participating in fun activities.
Challis said one crazy activity that she actually ended up hating was rappelling. She said she is afraid of heights, but pushing herself to do it and experience something new was another memory she would always have, and sometimes the most important part of trying new things is learning what you don’t like.
“Rappelling was very frightening for me, but I did try it, and it was a mess,” Challis said. “It was a hot mess, so I won’t do that again.”
Get an education you want
Angela Child, associate professor of education, said something any 20-something should do is get an education in something they find joy in.
An education can be different for everyone, so the main thing is just allowing yourself to learn what you need for the career you want in order to be happy, Child said.
“Finding joy isn’t like something that you can just check off your list,” Child said. “You want to find joy in what you’re doing; if you’re in school, you have to find joy in that, if you’re in a job, you have to find joy in that.”
At the end of the day, the most important part of any bucket list is doing what makes you happy, Child said. She said this is the time in your life when you can work on happiness, so whatever your choices may be, just always remember to do what you think will bring you joy.