I'm 33 now, and I've compiled this list of things I've learned since I've turned 30:
1) All those years of forgoing moisturizer, especially on your neck, start showing when you hit 30. Now you moisturize, moisturize, moisturize, but it's harder to fix things than prevent them.
2) By the time you reach your 30s, you will need to start considering dying your hair to cover the gray. You used to think that wouldn't happen until your late 40s, but this is simply not true. Of course, if you are trying to get pregnant you'll either have to use henna, which kinda sucks, or you'll have to wait until you're pregnant and in the second trimester, because you won't know you're pregnant until it's already happened.
3) Starting in your early 30s you realize it's getting harder to see things close up. I know you thought that you'd be around 50 before that happened, but again, that's simply not true.
4) You will start feeling the urge to visit "home," which in my case is the Ozarks. Honestly I'm not close to my living relatives there, it's the land I miss...hills, trees, rich soil, fresh, crisp air, wildlife, rivers, caves...these are the things I can't stop thinking about.
5) Your older relatives, all the ones that mean the most, will start dying off. It's heartbreaking and unfair. Also, you become aware of your own parents' mortality and it terrifies you.
6) The little things don't matter. Things that once meant so much to you, like buying cool new toys for yourself, start to not mean as much anymore. "Grown up stuff," like paying your bills and getting practical items suddenly take precedence, and it doesn't bother you that much.
7) You become more thankful for things in your life. Things you used to take for granted now mean a whole lot, like a phone call from your mother.
8) You'll become more open minded. You put yourself in other people's shoes a lot easier, and can empathize with others even easier than before.
9) Family becomes more important. While you used to crave time with other people, now you find that you crave family time much more.
10) You'll start having more friends pass away. This needs no explanation.
11) Getting pregnant in your 30s is harder to do, and at 35 your pregnancy will be considered a "geriatric pregnancy." Your fertility decreases (your eggs are 30 years old!) and it will be harder on your body to carry a little one for 9 months.
12) You'll start caring a lot about world news, when before it was hard to imagine why something on the other side of the world would effect you that much. You start to realize how interconnected we all are.
13) Your political opinions will change. It becomes more important to you to have a well defined set of ethics and politics, and you will become even more passionate than before about making the world a better place.
14) You will start taking pride in your home, your baking skills, and other domestic things. You'll start to enjoy things you never did before, even doing laundry, because it is a calming task to do.
15) You'll stop caring so much what other people think of you. You'll want to lose weight to be healthier, not because you can't stand your body if you aren't thin.
Of course, these are my experiences, and not everyone is the same. In all honesty a lot of these things began in my late 20s and became more solidified in my 30s. I imagine some people are the opposite of everything on my list, but everything on this list obviously applies to me.
1) All those years of forgoing moisturizer, especially on your neck, start showing when you hit 30. Now you moisturize, moisturize, moisturize, but it's harder to fix things than prevent them.
The moisturizer I use: Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream for Dry Skin |
2) By the time you reach your 30s, you will need to start considering dying your hair to cover the gray. You used to think that wouldn't happen until your late 40s, but this is simply not true. Of course, if you are trying to get pregnant you'll either have to use henna, which kinda sucks, or you'll have to wait until you're pregnant and in the second trimester, because you won't know you're pregnant until it's already happened.
Going gray |
3) Starting in your early 30s you realize it's getting harder to see things close up. I know you thought that you'd be around 50 before that happened, but again, that's simply not true.
Please tell me reading glasses are a long way off! |
4) You will start feeling the urge to visit "home," which in my case is the Ozarks. Honestly I'm not close to my living relatives there, it's the land I miss...hills, trees, rich soil, fresh, crisp air, wildlife, rivers, caves...these are the things I can't stop thinking about.
The Ozark Mountains |
5) Your older relatives, all the ones that mean the most, will start dying off. It's heartbreaking and unfair. Also, you become aware of your own parents' mortality and it terrifies you.
I miss everyone who has left this world so much |
6) The little things don't matter. Things that once meant so much to you, like buying cool new toys for yourself, start to not mean as much anymore. "Grown up stuff," like paying your bills and getting practical items suddenly take precedence, and it doesn't bother you that much.
Paying bills |
7) You become more thankful for things in your life. Things you used to take for granted now mean a whole lot, like a phone call from your mother.
On the phone |
8) You'll become more open minded. You put yourself in other people's shoes a lot easier, and can empathize with others even easier than before.
Become more open minded |
9) Family becomes more important. While you used to crave time with other people, now you find that you crave family time much more.
This Awkward Family Photo reminds me of DH and me in a few years |
10) You'll start having more friends pass away. This needs no explanation.
I miss you terribly |
11) Getting pregnant in your 30s is harder to do, and at 35 your pregnancy will be considered a "geriatric pregnancy." Your fertility decreases (your eggs are 30 years old!) and it will be harder on your body to carry a little one for 9 months.
I'm gonna be old when you graduate, future baby |
12) You'll start caring a lot about world news, when before it was hard to imagine why something on the other side of the world would effect you that much. You start to realize how interconnected we all are.
Gay rights activists in Russia |
13) Your political opinions will change. It becomes more important to you to have a well defined set of ethics and politics, and you will become even more passionate than before about making the world a better place.
I've always voted, but I am more politically active in my late 20s and early 30s than I ever have been |
14) You will start taking pride in your home, your baking skills, and other domestic things. You'll start to enjoy things you never did before, even doing laundry, because it is a calming task to do.
Baking is fun kids! |
15) You'll stop caring so much what other people think of you. You'll want to lose weight to be healthier, not because you can't stand your body if you aren't thin.
I love myself (most of the time) and I just want to be healthy and happy |
Of course, these are my experiences, and not everyone is the same. In all honesty a lot of these things began in my late 20s and became more solidified in my 30s. I imagine some people are the opposite of everything on my list, but everything on this list obviously applies to me.
Me now, at age 33 |