Life

13 Things You'll Regret *Not* Doing In Your 20s

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When we think about what should be on our bucket lists, we normally think of things like "climb Mount Everest" and "write a novel". But a new AskReddit thread looked at things that we should check off of our lists in a different way — it asked what people should do in their 20s to set them up for the rest of their lives. Because a little bit of prep working and developing some good habits can make things way different down the line.

And it was amazing to see how diverse the suggests were. I mean, there were a lot of tips about saving money. "Making it automatic is the single most effective way to hit your savings goal," Jennifer Barrett, Chief Education Officer at Acorns and Editor-in-Chief of Grow, tells Bustle. "I used to have all the best intentions, but something always seemed to come up and I'd either forget to transfer money or find something else to do with it." Which will probably sound really familiar to a lot of us.

But it wasn't just practical advice (though you definitely should heed that), some of the answers were about mindsets and attitudes — which are just as important to sort out as early as possible.

Here's what they found.

1

Make Memories

(And the money thing, obviously.)

2

Going For It In Dating

It's like a Nike ad but for dating.

3

Drinking More Water

I swear that water is like the basic foundation of self-care. Never be thirsty. Never. My dad always had dozens of water bottles out on the counter so I learned this habit early — and force it down everyone's throats.

4

Give Yourself Time To Get Settled

Then reap the rewards later.

5

Watch Yourself

Having fun is great, but honestly, there's so much damage done when it goes over the line.

6

Have No Regrets

Like YOLO but, you know, more eloquent.

7

THIS

OK, I'm actually in total support of sleeping with as many people as you damn well please. But I do agree with the fact that you should be careful with who gets your time and attention. Even if it's just a fun one-night stand, you can do it with a decent person who is going to make you feel amazing.

8

Don't Do Drugs

This person listened to DARE.

9

Enjoy Your Body

WHY NO CAPES THO!?

10

Follow Your Passions

Still regretting I stopped playing piano when I was nine, to be honest.

11

Watch Your Online Presence

There are some embarrassing photos out there... somewhere.

12

Forget FOMO

You'll feel much better when you live life at your own pace.

13

Alright, Alright

I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. I'll start flossing.

Good habits are so important — because they make the tricky stuff so much easier. If you can train yourself up, it'll be come automatic. Out of your 20s? Don't worry. It's easier if you start earlier, but it's never too late. Get flossing.