15 Amazing Things You Can Do In Your Twenties

This post was most recently updated on February 17th, 2024

[A collaboration post – all thoughts are my own.]

This article was originally published in September 2022 and has been republished with some of the best updates.

I’m officially 28 years old now, which means I still have two years before hitting 30. Having only just turned 28, it seems somewhat appropriate to reflect a bit on my admittedly short twenty-something life. Do you have a bucket list of things you can do in your twenties? Now I figure I should write myself a bucket list of things I want to do before turning 30.

In my early twenties, the idea of getting married and having kids by 25 was ingrained in my mind. Fast forward to my current 28-year-old self, and I’m nowhere close to either of those milestones. Surprisingly, I’m perfectly content with that. I consider myself fortunate for checking off numerous bucket-list items, from diving to indoor skydiving. Now, my goals are simpler, and I find joy in the little things.

Things You Can Do In Your Twenties

You know, hitting 30 may seem distant, but in just two years, you can achieve a multitude of goals. Here are 15 things to inspire you in your twenties before reaching that milestone.

Create a savings

I just learning how to budget in early 2022 and opened a saving account in August. I may say that learning how to budget is key for keeping your finances in a healthy state. Creating a saving is important for the things you want to do in the future, like buying a car, building a new house, or retiring. It feels great to have that feeling of financial freedom, and what better way to feel like a proper adult than that!

Plan your first travel

In early July 2022, I and my friend randomly talked about the future and suddenly the idea to have our first travel is pop up! We started by picking our destination, planning the itinerary, the budget, accommodation, etc. We plan to travel in the early 2024. This would be our first abroad travel and I feel so excited about that!

Invest in your health

I rarely pay attention to my health, especially my mental health. And I realized that after starting working from home. Balancing work and personal life isn’t always easy; it takes so much effort to balance your time for your business with your family. I rarely get sick (maybe cold or flu); but I got a lot of stress from my life situation. When having a bad day, I usually go out with friends to recharge and relax my mind.

Create a second income

After the pandemic hit Bali in March 2022, I considered creating a second income from my passion: writing. Now, blogging is my second income after my translation service. Although I’m preparing to take the civil service exam next year, I still want to continue my career as a translator and writer.

Do something that scares you

The biggest fear for me? Anything related to water sports or activities involving swimming or diving. I can’t swim, so water activities aren’t my cup of tea (especially since I had a near-drowning experience at 13, leaving me a bit traumatized!). While I love visiting the beach, my enjoyment is limited to soaking in the scenery and the vibe.

Despite my fear, I met someone who invited me to go diving. Terrified as I was, we went, and surprisingly, I enjoyed it immensely, especially with someone holding and looking after me. I also had the chance to experience indoor skydiving! Stepping out of your comfort zone, realizing you can do it, and not just survive but thrive is an incredible feeling!

Start freelancing

Freelancing is a great career if you like working from home and prefer spending time alone. If you master two (or more) languages, you can offer transcription services or become an interpreter. There are many reasons to start freelancing now, like creating multiple income streams, you don’t need to spend money driving to and from your job every day, or as a side hustle while you’re still employed.

Find your passions

Have you always wanted to start your own business? Or maybe there’s a specific position at a specific company that you’ve long had your eye on? Figure out what you can do to land the career of your dreams, and work your hardest to reach your goals.

Your 20s are the best time to take career-related risks before you have too many responsibilities on your plate that you have to consider. Learn a new skill and see if you can turn that into a new business!

Spend time with your loved ones

The pandemic had a unique impact on me. Previously, my office job limited me to visiting my hometown every 4-6 months. However, with the shift to remote work, I now have the perfect excuse to visit my father in a different region in Bali. I get to spend quality time hanging out with friends, exploring local places, and enjoying shopping trips with my mom.

Love yourself

Accept yourself for who you are and learn to love yourself. You cannot love anyone else truly until you can do this. This is the key to success and happiness in life! No one can make you happy but yourself. It is a skill that comes from inside. Learn to find a bit of inner peace and be happy with and in yourself.

Learn to drive

I learned to drive when I was 22 years old; I need to bring my dogs every time I go to my hometown to visit my father. It took me two years to master the skill and I still need to improve day by day. However, the feeling when you get comfortable driving is very fulfilling and a confidence booster. Plus as you get older you’ll likely find that being able to drive yourself or your family around is a lot more convenient than waiting for someone else to drive you around or using public transit.

Practice positivity

Practicing positive thinking doesn’t come easy. I’m a simple person and I don’t really pay attention to my surrounding. However, growing up, I learned that people around me put too many expectations than they should. I want to live the life I want without thinking too much about what people are gonna say.

And I realized that no matter what I say, no matter what I do, people are gonna say something. That’s why I practice positivity and this is a good habit if you want to develop a positive mindset!

Declutter negativity

It’s time to declutter all the negativity out of your life. Those friends, those negative thoughts, or maybe that toxic relationship you are in … say GOODBYE!

Learn a new language

When you learn languages it actually improves your brain overall. Learning a new language is a lot of work, but it’s so much fun. Choose a language that you think you can use somewhere you’d like to travel. Imagine going somewhere you already love and being able to communicate with the locals!

I love watching foreign movies and TV shows, and I’ve picked up a lot of random words from different languages over the years. It would be really cool to be able to speak Japanese, even if it’s just the basics.

Road trip

Who doesn’t love a road trip? This can be a long-distance, cross-country type of trip, or it can be just driving an hour away to explore a new town. Get in the car with a couple of great friends, turn on the music, and go exploring! You’ll see so much beautiful things or places that you would have missed if you were traveling by plane! I like to explore Bali every the end of the month with my friend! It’s so much fun!

Learn a new skill

Learning a new skill can be a great advantage if you’re on a journey of personal growth. I learned how to create a logo, build a website, SEO-ing, and so many things after creating my own blog. I want to learn to play the piano and photography as well. So, whatever it may be, spare some time in your brain with a brand-new skill.

These goals are just the bare minimum. Set other goals for yourself and make sure to constantly push yourself to be and do better. Spend time leading up to your thirties to end some of your bad habits, and begin to live the life you’ve been dreaming of.

If you plan on trying any of these ideas out in the near future, let me know in the comments which ones you’ll be trying!