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You’re excited about the new decade coming your way. You also want to make sure you don’t miss out on anything in your 20s. Don’t worry. We’re going to make sure you get the most fun out of your young adulthood to leave a sensational legacy. Keep reading for the most fun and awesome things to do before 30.
1. Get your portrait painted.
One of the most fun things to do before 30 is to get your portrait painted by an artist. Make sure you wear something creepy. Put on a hauntingly smile. Hang it up on your wall where it’s hard to miss.
And don’t forget to state in your official will that you want your eldest to keep that portrait hanging on the wall at all times.
2. Travel alone.
It’s important for you to learn to be on your own before your 30s. It gets harder to do so as you age. So, get this out of the way as soon as you can. And what better way to do so than by making yourself completely vulnerable by traveling alone?
3. Become a regular in a local bar.
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Yup! Make sure you have a favorite spot where you can go by yourself or with friends.
There’s nothing cooler than asking for your “usual” at a bar and having the bartender know what you’re talking about. Having a spot where you can comfortably get drunk near your home is one of the vital things to do before 30.
Additionally, once you’re a regular, you’ll be able to get drunk even when you’re broke. You’ll be able to say “put it on my tab!” without people asking “who the hell are you supposed to be?”.
4. Fail at a business.
Your 20s and even early 30s are the best years where you can take more risks. As the dust hasn’t settled yet, you can still play around with the puzzle pieces and see which one fits better.
As you age, you inevitably take fewer risks. Because you tend to have a lot more to lose. And also you get more self-conscious. One of the most important things to do before 30 is to set up a business built on what you’re passionate about and fail miserably at it.
By the way, make sure you can afford to fail at it. The idea is not to set yourself up for failure. It’s about being more assertive with business and being comfortable with taking chances. Who knows, it may even succeed.
5. Live abroad.
Living and working abroad is an experience most people in their 30s can’t afford to try. Because it’s harder to leave everything behind and just go.
While you’re young, pick a country where you can enjoy and also gain experience through working.
6. Get your heart broken.
This has probably already happened. It’s harder to get your heart broken in your 30s. It’s also harder to get over someone in your 30s.
Don’t be afraid to give people a chance. And don’t be afraid to make yourself vulnerable. This may increase your chances to have your heart broken, but it’ll also make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for. If it works out, good for you.
If it doesn’t, then you learn who deserves your time and who doesn’t. This will empower you to say “I’ve seen worse, get over yourself, mister!”.
7. Sleep outside.
Make sure you spend a night outside to gain some perspective. It reminds you that life still goes on when you sleep comfortably in your home. The stars shine brighter when you’re out there unconfined.
You can do this camping or you can sleep on the beach; whatever floats your boat. This is also a great way to meditate and cultivate gratitude toward life and nature.
8. Stalk a celebrity crush.
It’s harder to get starstruck in your 30s. Because you can see past the BS. But in your 20s, you have a few that you idolize. In your 30s, stalking a celebrity is just lame. At least it’s “frowned upon” by local authorities.
All joking aside, buy tickets from the front rows. Try to find people who can introduce you to the person. Don’t be afraid to post pictures where you look sweaty and out of breath next to the guy.
Caption it “my new best friend!”. Make sure you bury this picture deep in your feed before the day you turn 30.
9. Skinny-dip.
This is one of the most freeing and exciting things you can experience. Get it out of the way before you’re at an age where you complain about stuff like arthritis and sinus infections.
10. Forgive your parents.
Let’s face it, nobody’s parents are perfect. As you age, you’ll see that whatever damage you have is mostly because of your parents. This may make it easier to blame everything on them about whatever is going wrong with your life.
And it’s probably true. But it doesn’t get you anywhere. Plus, they’d rather die before they admit any guilt. You’ll spend hours in therapy only to lose it over a one-hour-long family dinner.
Remember that your parents didn’t know any better. They did what they could. Establish a healthier relationship that’s based on the future, not the past.
11. See the Northern Lights.
Before life gets in the way, take a trip to see the Northern Lights. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience mother nature has to offer.
12. Know your biases and get rid of them.
As you’ll inevitably realize in your 30s, you have so many biases that are holding you back. You’re not aware of the formation of these biases. But they affect your behaviors in so many ways.
This has the potential to make you an incredibly boring person. Being comfortable with having your ideas and beliefs questioned is what makes you emotionally grow as a person.
Try to know more about yourself so that you can grow out of those biases. This will open up new opportunities for relationships, jobs, and adventures.
13. Grow a plant.
Do you have any idea how much work goes behind that kale you keep chewing on? How much water it needs and how long it takes to grow it? Try growing a plant in a pot in your apartment.
It’ll make you see the life behind simple things we often overlook. This will remind you to appreciate the little things in life. It’ll also teach you patience. Learning to be patient is one of the essential things to do before 30.
This is an important skill you should gain in an age where we expect things to happen instantly like a spoiled kid.
14. Date a foreigner.
You know when you look at a guy and figure out his deal in 30 seconds? It’s because you’re too familiar with the social cues the guy is giving away. Try dating a guy from another country. You won’t be able to read the person. Because you’re not familiar with his culture.
This may go either way. You may find the perfect French gentleman or he is just a Chad disguised as a Jacques. But still, you can have so much fun with this.
You can make up rules about dating like a 3rd date anniversary where the guy buys you a designer bag made in his country. In this case, it’s a Chanel.
Or you just be a decent person and enjoy spending time with the guy. You get to know his culture and make fun of his cute accent. And if one day he buys you a bag, you accept that with grace.
15. Visit your hometown.
Get in touch with your roots by taking a day trip to visit your hometown. See what old friends are up to. Check your old house out if it’s still there. It’s a humbling experience to remember how far you’ve come.
16. Do something spontaneous.
You always have something in your mind that you want to do before you die or someplace you want to go to. Sure, you can give 20 reasons why it’s not the right time or why you have to postpone.
Decide on a thing that you’ve been wanting to do for a long time and go for it. If it’s a vacation abroad, max out your credit card and get it over with.
Whatever it is, your reasons for not doing it will only increase as you age. While you’re young and reckless and the world is all fun and games, do something spontaneous without a plan whatsoever.
Doing something like this in your 30s has the potential to make you end up in a courtroom with your soon-to-be ex-husband.
17. Do a video-gaming marathon.
Spend a full weekend with your friends staying in and just playing video games. Play until the sunlight hurts your eyes. Stock up the fridge with beer and set up the living room for a crazy video-gaming marathon.
18. Establish a me-day.
As you get older, you’ll be divided into 100 pieces. You’ll be an employee/employer, husband/wife, auntie, friend, bestie, designated driver… You’ll forget to focus on yourself and forget who the boss of your life is.
To avoid that, set up a weekly or monthly date where everything’s about you. Take yourself out on a fancy dinner. Shave your legs and look good for yourself. Whatever it is, treat yourself regularly.
Learning to put your needs before others’ needs is one of the most important things to do before 30. Treat yourself as a trophy wife. Start simple with these fun things to do in the bathtub alone.
19. Create a movement.
The population depends on the youth to be vocal about issues. Find something that you think is wrong with your local community, and raise awareness about it. Using your voice and your social following, inform people about the subject matter.
You can even do fundraising. When you’re in your 20s and still optimistic, you can take actions that affect people’s lives in a good way.
20. Make a movie.
This is becoming something ordinary as there’s a new Youtuber every other day making great content. This is not something to share with the rest of the world. Gather your friends and enact your favorite episode from your favorite TV show.
Or make a parody of some movie. It’ll be a great memory to cherish later in life. The making of it is so much fun because you’re doing it for the fun of it, not for the likes.
Or if it’s too much work, sex tape works too. Although I highly doubt it’ll be something you keep in your safe for years to come.
21. Do a stand-up comedy.
This takes balls. But this also can make a great memory. Convince 10 of your friends to come to a show where you’ll be doing a stand-up comedy.
Make sure they laugh at every stupid joke you make and act as if you’re some hotshot comedian. It’ll confuse the hell out of people in the audience.
You can score some free drinks at the end of the show, who knows? If someone ends up recording it, you may check ‘making a movie’ off your list as well.
22. Take a road trip.
It’ll be harder to make time for friends in your 30s. Mostly because you won’t want to. Constantly canceling on your friends is a thing in your 30s. Staying home and ordering in will be more tempting than going out.
While you have the energy and the time to spare, make sure you take a road trip with your friends. Go for a long drive that’ll take at least 2 days.
Make sure you stay in cheap hotels, flirt with the locals, pick a fight, piss in a jar, and swear you’ll never do this again.
23. Attend a scientific event.
Attending an event because you want to is more fun than attending because you have to. It’s like being able to stand up to your boss because you don’t need that crappy salary.
Attending a scientific event where the audience is mostly nerds can be so much fun. Because you get to learn cool and techy stuff just for the fun of it. Plus, when you’re there, people assume you’re some kind of a scientific person yourself.
Dress the part and try to fit in. Observe the geeks in their natural habitat.
24. Hit on a guy.
In your 30s, self-conscious, and with a lot of baggage and many insecurities, you won’t even be able to make eye contact with a guy longer than 3 seconds, let alone hit on him.
Be confident enough to ask a guy out. Don’t be afraid of initiating a conversation with someone you find interesting. Do it before you turn 30 when you’re surrounded by single men. They seem to disappear when you’re in your 30s.
25. Be naked more often.
There’s constant pressure from everywhere telling us to be ashamed of our bodies. Resist it and start cultivating some confidence. Do you think you have it hard in your 20s?
Try your 30s when you deal with stuff like grey hair, crow’s feet, and stretch marks. If you don’t learn to love yourself naked in front of the mirror before your 30s, you won’t be able to do it after your 30s.
Cook naked, sleep naked… Get used to seeing yourself naked and own it. Practice self-love in your birthday suit.
26. Give people something to talk about.
Towards your late 20s, people around you already have an idea about who you are. They can say stuff like “OMG, this is so you!”. Your friends know what colors you wear or what type of guys you go for.
Do something that’s not you. Be the topic of the conversation for a change. Make people gossip about you to the extent that they stalk you on social media. This is especially fun when your relatives find out about it.
Wear something inappropriate at a wedding; or better yet, at a funeral. Your real friends will laugh with you. Your distant relatives that you secretly hate will talk about this for years.
While you’ll be busy living your life, they’ll be talking about you because they have nothing interesting going on. Don’t be afraid to be the black sheep.
27. Create a family newsletter.
In your 20s, you stay in touch with your family mostly because you have to. In your 30s it becomes a whole thing and it’s usually annoying.
Before you realize you have the option to stay away from your family as an adult, make the most of your time together. Reach out to relatives and cousins and announce that you’re creating a family newsletter.
Make people share something important about them every month. Collect each email and put together a monthly newsletter. And then email the newsletter to everyone.
Actually, this can be fun; being the person that’s in the know about everything going on with your family and relatives. The elderly will especially love it. Don’t forget to give too much information about certain family members “by mistake”.
28. Get a hobby.
Try lots of things and find a hobby that you can enjoy for the rest of your life. Having something to spend your free time with may sound boring in your 20s, but you’ll get bored in your 30s. And you won’t be willing to do so as you age.
While you have the energy and curiosity, pick a hobby that helps you clear your mind. As you practice it, it’ll be a part of your life in your 30s. You can then use that as a relaxation method.
29. Cultivate gratitude.
When you’re dealing with what life throws in your way every other day in your 30s, it’ll be difficult to stop and count your blessings in the middle of a nervous breakdown.
You’ll want to be reminded of things that you’re blessed with. It’s easier to be ungrateful, but it’s more rewarding to be grateful.
Either keep a gratitude journal or cultivate gratitude through meditation. Learning to acknowledge blessings is one of the essential things to do before 30.
30. Get a pet.
In your 30s, you already know how people tend to take your love and attention for granted. Most of the time, you don’t even get what you give. The only creature that deserves your unconditional love is your pet.
They never complain about you “smothering” them. They never need space, except for cats maybe. Get a best friend that you can’t wait to go home to. And spoil the living hell out of it.
