I’m currently 23, and by choice, I’m not working anywhere right now. It’s not because I come from a rich family, I don’t, but I just have no interest in working or earning at the moment
Honestly, I feel like I missed out on a lot during my teenage years. I’m an introvert, I don’t have any friends, and I’ve never really gone out or experienced much of a social life. Now that I’m in my 20s, I want to make up for that, meet new people, go to parties, and just enjoy life.
I know people say your 20s is crucial for building your career, but I feel like I’d rather focus on having fun now and start taking my career seriously once I turn 30. Does anyone else feel this way? Is this a terrible idea, or is it okay to take things slow and focus on enjoying life first?
You’re 23, newly aware of the endless buffet of human experience, and you want to gorge yourself on life. That’s beautiful. That’s thrilling. That’s also a little terrifying because, well, life doesn’t wait for you to get serious about it.
But let’s zoom out for a second. You missed out on a lot in your teens, you say. You didn’t have friends, didn’t go out, didn’t party. Now you want to reclaim that lost time, live fully, be reckless and free. Great! I support that. But—and this is a big but—you can both have fun and build something for your future. It’s not a binary choice. You don’t have to go full Bacchanalian hedonist until 29 and then suddenly become a spreadsheet-loving careerist at 30. That’s not how time works.
The truth is, when you do nothing for too long, you don’t just get to pick up where you left off. Life isn’t a paused video game. If you don’t build any momentum—financially, professionally, socially—you might find yourself at 30 not with a clean slate, but with a lot of catching up to do. It’s much easier to keep a wheel turning than to start pushing it from a dead stop.
You don’t need to chain yourself to a desk, but maybe think about this: What’s the actual fantasy here? Is it wild nights, new friendships, deep conversations at 2 AM? Great. You can do that while earning a little money. Find something flexible, something that doesn’t suck your soul dry. Get a job that funds your adventures. Learn a skill that keeps the future doors from slamming shut.
Because here’s the hard part: The world isn’t waiting for you to be ready. Your future self—30-year-old you—might wish 23-year-old you had given just a little thought to making her life easier. Not by grinding 24/7, but by laying down just enough foundation so that when you are ready to get serious, you have choices.
So, go out. Have fun. Kiss people. Dance until your feet hurt. But also, keep an eye on the horizon. Because 30 is closer than you think, and trust me, you don’t want to wake up then realizing that all you built in your 20s was a collection of bar receipts and a mild existential crisis.