25 Things You Must Do Before You Turn 25

25 is the new 16, well, kind of. Turning 25 is a major landmark in your life, you must take it seriously. You are finally crossing over to your late twenties, which means a lot of things. But, before you get there, make sure you have at least done 20 things on this list. You only live young once!

1. Move out of your parents’, friend’s or big brother’s house. Living on your own teaches you budgeting, being responsible and most importantly taking care of yourself. When you get older, it is imperative to have those skills. Also, learning that, TV subscription or milk in the fridge do not just happen – they are paid for with money.
2. Fall in love. Love is such a beautiful thing when you’re just two young people with no commitments or responsibilities.
3. Learn to say No! You’re going to need this skill quite a lot when you’re older.
4. Find out what your tastes and preferences are. What’s your favourite food? What do you look for in a partner? Make sure you have answers to such questions before you are 25.
5. Develop a reading culture. Books are everything, you need to at least read two life changing books every year.
6. Take a fashion risk, try out a fashion trend you adore but afraid to explore. If it means dyeing your hair blonde or purple, do it. Step out in micro-mini shorts, because you are young. It becomes really hard to do such things when you are older and not get judged.
7. Develop a saving culture. Generally become money savvy because money is everything. Save as much as possible, you’ll need that money on a rainy day.
8. Learn to work out once in a while. You are definitely going to get busier as you get older, you must develop a wellness routine, that you can stick as you get older.
9. Make as many mistakes as possible and learn every time.
10. Work towards achieving your dreams. One common bad habit of people in their twenties is, they want to do and achieve so much that they just decide to take a nap. Get your butt off that seat and do something about your dreams.
11. Take a big career risk. Are you doing a job that’s making you miserable? Or, you feel like you should have been in marketing instead of law. Quit that job and go back to school, if you want. It becomes harder to take such risks when you have kids and a family to take care of.
12. Learn and get involved in the politics of your country/ community. Go out and vote. Find out who your area MP is, and make them accountable.
13. Do something that scares you. End that toxic friendship you feel isn’t taking you anywhere, for example.
14. Travel to a far off place alone. Traveling is the best way to find yourself, especially when done alone.
15. Put that selfie stick down and go take a real photo of you. Photographs are a documentation of life, albeit it has been ruined by this generation of instagram and Snapchat. Put your foot down, go and have your photo taken and have it printed out. You are young and beautiful, believe me, you’ll want to see what you looked like when you were 23.
16. Spend time with your family. Family is really important especially as we grow up. When you get older, you are going to get too busy especially with your family as well, so go spend time with your grandparents when you still can. Also, use that time to learn about your family history and heritage.
17. Shut down your computer and go spend time with your friends. The internet has killed the beauty of real relationships. These days you’ll have a friend with whom you live in the same city, use the same taxi park but have never met in over five years. Social media networking doesn’t actually mean real friends, find time and go spend it with your real friends.
18. Do a passion project, not for money, but for the fun of it. It is an exhilarating feeling to on a task where the reward is only fulfillment.
19. Approach your crush, look them in the eyes and say you want them badly. Say it with so much passion. Life is too short to not do the things you want. It doesn’t matter if they say yes or not, you will never regret you didn’t do something about it.
20. Identify your fears and confront them.
21. Find out exactly what you want to be. There’s no more future for you now, you are living in your future. If you don’t already know what you want to be, find out before you are 25.
22. Know who your real friends are.
23. Do you have a mentor? Someone you look up to for inspiration. Is that person Ugandan and lives here? Make sure you meet them. It doesn’t matter if it’s the president, do it.
24. Visit the places and people that made you who you are today. Go visit your high school teachers and also walk down the street where you played hide and seek as a kid. It is a beautiful experience.
25. Most importantly, have fun. You only live once. Enjoy your youth when you still can.

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