📍 Location: Downtown Chicago - January 2025
📷 Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 with lenses 18mm-55mm & 55mm-250mm
🎶 Music of the Month:
All's Well that Ends - Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Disfruto (Extended Mix) - Amice
Pinch Me - Young Friend
Cigarette - Alfie Jukes
Thoughts on your Twenties
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be in my twenties, especially after celebrating my 21st birthday earlier this month. Turning 21 feels like stepping into a new world—one where you can finally walk into a casino, check into a hotel on your own, and sit at a bar without hesitation. But beyond these milestones, this stage of life feels like a city itself—fast, unpredictable, sometimes overwhelming, yet undeniably exciting.
There’s a constant push to achieve, to figure things out, to chase opportunities before they slip away. But in between all that movement, I’m learning that it’s just as important to slow down and appreciate where I am, rather than always focusing on where I think I should be.
Everyone’s twenties unfold in their own unique way, but one common thread ties us all together—the journey of self-discovery. It’s a time of exploring who we are, what we value, and who we want to become as we step further into adulthood.
Shifting Gears
Twenties can easily pass by quickly by constantly focusing on the future—applying for internships, self-growth, saving up for later, spending all your time studying in order to graduate, or the other extreme of totally forgetting about the future. I fall into the first category, and if you do too, here's what I'll try to follow for this upcoming year.
When tomorrow's isn't promised, don't forget about the now.
Sometimes, being present is as simple as appreciating the beauty around us—taking in the skyline, watching the way the city lights reflect off the river, or noticing the small moments that make life meaningful. Working can be so important, but also prioritizing friends, family, and your passions is key.
The next piece of advice is something that I have to constantly remind myself of following:
Sometimes, the logical choice doesn't have to be the one you take.
When trying to pick a study abroad program, I was advised to go to the program where I could develop my language skills. Arguably, this would have been the more logical choice, one that could probably have advanced me more in terms of employment competitiveness. However, I knew that I was probably never going to get another opportunity to study in Australia (the place I really wanted to go). So, I didn't follow the logical choice. I took the one that would make me happier.
To sum it up, we all have dreams, goals, and projects. While it so important to give them attention, it's all about balance. Don't forget to enjoy what you have right now.
Final Thoughts
Chicago, like life in my twenties, is chaotic, beautiful, and full of contradictions. It’s a place where you can feel lost one moment and unstoppable the next. This month has reminded me that while it’s okay to chase big goals, it’s just as important to stop and take in the view—whether that’s a skyline, a quiet street, or a simple moment of peace in the middle of it all.
That's all I have, but I'd love to hear more from you in the comments:
“What has been the most surprising part of your twenties so far?"
"What would you have wished to known in your twenties that you know now?
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