What was life like for you when you were in your mid twenties?

I had a husband, a two-year old son, a heavy-duty 30 hr/week job, an apartment and a small summer home, and a lot of energy. I didn’t question any of it. I did a little volunteer work and managed also to have an active, if conventional, social life as well.

This seems a reasonably question and clearly a concern for you. Why put it in “social”
and suggest that we have fun with it?

*Dang it, I missed the editing window…

But I’d like to add that, in the grand scheme of things, I don’t have a whole lot of reasons to complain. I have a job that I love with a wonderful company that keeps affording me many opportunities for advancement; I pay all of my own bills, including the rent for my very first “big-girl” apartment; I have truly amazing friends in many different parts of the US and the world; and my family is very caring and supportive of anything I do. What else could I possibly want right now?

What else could I possibly want right now? You tell me.

@gailcalled The reason I put it in social and want you all to have fun with it is because I don’t like to take these things too seriously; I want to keep it lighthearted. And, to answer your other question, I have no idea what else I want… I mean, I could certainly use a vacation, but that’s not happening any time soon.

I married at 21.5 and had my daughter at 28. Mid-twenties were still party days with my ex husband way back in the early 80’s. We lived in San Diego and every weekend was Catamaran on Mission Bay and mexican food and lots of fun nightlife in Pacific Beach. Good times!

I was selling drugs to pay for college. Luckily weed in Oregon isn’t a big deal if you do it right.

Really, Ignore all your miserable friends on facebook posting wedding and baby pics. They aren’t happy. Find yourself and things will work out.

When I was twenty five, I was in full blown alcoholism with a bit of cocaine on the side on the weekends. I was carefree, not entangled, employed, and happy-go-lucky. I was also irresponsible and digging myself deeper into a hole but not self-aware enough to take care.

Stressful. My husband and I juggled caring for our home and family with legal issues that were exhausting and created long term difficulties for us. We both worked 40–60 hour weeks while still struggling to make ends meet, and rarely succeeding at doing so, because of circumstances beyond our control (read: legal issues), while at the same time my husband and I were both dealing with health problems. That kind of stress is not very kind to the body. I feel like I’ve aged 15 years in the last 5, but fortunately things have started to settle down a little bit in our early 30s.
I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to do it. It’s your life to do with as you please. You will have ups and downs and happiness and sadness, but it’s yours to learn from and to cherish.

@johnpowell Oh don’t worry!! I have no desire to either get married or have kids any time soon. Most of my friends are very similar to me in that we’re not so focused on those things and I’ve never felt pressured to go down that path until I’m ready.

@DigitalBlue Glad to know things are starting to settle down for you guys! :)

I was drunk. I’m sorry to sound glib, but it’s the simple truth. I was an practicing alcoholic.

I didn’t marry until I was thirty, so I had a great time. I was lucky. I had a job. Went to school to get a masters. Changed careers. Went to Europe for 3 months traveling by motor scooter and camping. Did some acting and stage work. Dated sporadically. When I got married, I had another 10 years of being 20, this time, starting a family. I still haven’t caught up with my age group,
My advice? Don’t just sit there. Get involved in activities in your community or your church.

I was a new parent, in the throes of depression, and at times we were so broke we had to borrow money off friends to buy food. It was the second worst decade of my life.

One long fuck-fest, I was soon to settle down though wiv ma wo-man!

I married my husband when I was 25 and shortly after we bought our first home. I loved our house; I couldn’t believe it was mine. My career was moving along, although the hours and physical exhaustian from work was pretty bad. I had a chronic pain problem that suuuccked! I was in constant pain, going from doctor to doctor. My anxiety went up as the chronic health problems got worse. I went through a few miscarriages in my late twenties. Lot’s of crap happened. But, I did still fully appreciate living in FL (I had moved there after college) it was a vacation everyday during my free time.

I was living in San Francisco doing faux queen drag (think Victor Victoria) and performing with this really campy troupe. I had a low paying crap job and sometimes pulled in money from the theater.

I loved it. I wouldn’t live like that now, but I loved it back then and love that I had the chance to do it.

Living in NYC, newly married, working for a large newspaper… for me it was a decade of great change and endless discoveries about the world outside the town I grew up in.

I was married to my first husband. We purchased a house together, which I adored.
I was working part time and keeping the household going in good order.
Sadly my marriage was already very strained after only 2 years.
I had started therapy for growing up in an abusive home. I was battling panic attacks.
Despite all of this there was a lot of good.

Ditto @downtide. I’m still there, actually. Starting to look up, trying to stay positive.

I was married, had two young sons, was going to college and my husband worked in a factory. It was stressful, but we made it out okay.

It was kind of boring. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with myself, and I didn’t feel confident enough to make bold choices or experiment with, well, anything. I was just focused on making enough money to pay off my student loans (I did), and trying to hold on to friendships that didn’t end up being permanent anyway.

I think my life started to become interesting in my mid-thirties. Now (quite some years later) I do what I want when I want to because I feel like it. I meet new people, and spend time with those I like. I don’t feel accountable to anyone, and I try new things constantly. It’s pretty damned awesome.

In my twenties I :
Dropped out of college (great decision!), worked for a few years, and went back to finish a B.S.(great decision!).
Worked in R&D for a few Silicon Valley computer manufacturers (good decision!).
Smoked a great deal of weed (no regrets).
Ran a lot, was in outstanding shape.
Got married (great decision!), and divorced (even better decision!).

I went from wild party animal to serious relationship. I tried all drugs, worked ft and explored what made me happy.