I turned 26 three weeks ago, which sparked a significant realization for me: I’m not that far away from being thirty. In fact, I am actually closer to being thirty than I am to being twenty, even though me being twenty doesn’t feel that long ago. Still, there’s time to do a lot in the remaining years I have in my twenties. And I want to do a lot in the next four years, both in terms of things that I want to achieve and experiences I want to have – I am someone who tends to be very “head down, do the work” which is something that I really value about myself. However, there’s also space and need for some things that are centered more on in-the-moment joy.
So, in order to get some balance of future-focused doing the work and in the moment joy, I put together a list of the thirty things I want to do before thirty.
- Host a real adult dinner party.
- Hike a portion of the Appalachian trail.
- Run a sub 2:15 half marathon.
- Run a marathon.
- Have a signature dish that I am really good at cooking.
- Go on a backpack trip – backpacking through the woods, not backpacking through Europe.
- Create an inviting backyard with outdoor seating.
- Win a trivia night.
- Eat alligator.
- Take a trip to a new city where I don’t know anyone.
- Learn to poach an egg.
- Have a meal with a stranger.
- Try a new sport.
- Start a supper club.
- Go spelunking.
- Take a cooking class.
- Get season tickets to an arts institution.
- Consistently journaling for three months.
- Learn calligraphy.
- Publish a zine.
- Meet Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
- Join a CSA.
- See Hamilton.
- Finish my Master’s degree.
- Get adventurous nails.
- Custom order temporary tattoos.
- Save $x
- Visit five cities within a day’s drive of Jackson.
- Eat insects.
- KonMari my home.
I have four years. Let’s make it happen. Also, if you know anyone at all who has any distant connection to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, my email is samantha.macy@gmail.com.