Monday, June 28, 2010

“buy a new shirt or stop eating cheese”

Our friend Adrienne posted this link, “25 and Over,” on Facebook the other day and I really like it. I realize that I’m both over 25 and follow these rules but I think they bear repeating and a few caveats as to which ones should be mastered before the ripe old age of 25.

And it appeals to my much-professed love of lists, of course.

1. Remember to write thank-you notes. I wrote about this awhile ago.  I think this should begin at a young age. One of Will’s cousins actually does something really cute – she has her young kids draw a picture, makes it into a card, and then writes the note for them. By 2nd grade, a kid should be able to write his/her own with help from Mom or Dad.

2. Do not invite yourself to stay with friends when you travel anymore. As it’s been pointed out on FB, the key here is to not invite yourself. If your friends like you enough, they will offer and you can happily stay.

3. Do not expect friends to help you move anymore. I had help the last time I moved (when I was 26) but I didn’t expect it. I have since purchased a sofabed and with that came the decision to pay movers for all future moves.

4. Develop a physical awareness of your surroundings. This should probably start in high school or college so you don’t look like a huge dork and should include a caveat about not being so engrossed in your iPod/iPhone/Blackberry/cell phone/etc that you lose awareness of your surroundings.

5. Be on time. If you are old enough to travel under your own power (16 or 17 depending on where you live) and have your own means of transport, be on time.

6. Have enough money. I think this should apply once you have a full time job and a bank account.

7. Know how to calculate the tip. If you’re old enough to go out to dinner by yourself, you’re old enough to calculate a tip.

8. Do not share the crazy dream you had last night with anyone but your mental wellness professional. This one – eh, I like hearing about crazy dreams.

9. Learn to walk in heels. With your first pair, you should learn to walk in them.

10. Have at least one good dress-up outfit. I think this should apply to all ages. As in, parents should make sure that their kids can be presentable in a reasonable amount of time for an event.

11. Do as invitations ask you. If you’re old enough that someone thinks you deserve your own invitation to an event (and not just be tacked on with your parents), then you’re old enough to RSVP for yourself. Even my nephews figured this out for my wedding and they were 15.

12. Know how. There are a lot of things you should know how to do by 25. I’d add “know how to make a least one decent meal” to the article’s list.

13. Don't use your friends.

14. Have something to talk about besides college or your job.

15. Give and receive favors graciously.

16. Drinking until you throw up is no longer properly a point of pride.

17. Have a real trash receptacle, real Kleenex, and, if you smoke, a real ashtray. This can begin in college but should definitely occur when you have your own place to live. I would add that by 25, you should have begun amassing “real” furniture – furniture not made out of milk crates and cinder blocks. It can be hand me downs but it should be decent furniture that was purchased from a furniture store at some point in its life.

18. Universal quiet hours do in fact apply to you.

19. Take care of yourself.

20. Rudeness is not a signifier of your importance. This should be universal.

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