Remember when we were in high school and our teachers and parents told us that we’d better get ready for the ‘real world’? Maybe you didn’t hear these words of advice (which always seemed more like a threat) as much as I did, but I know I wasn’t the only one out there being warned of how hard my twenties would be. Across the board, particularly from older friends, I kept hearing horror story after horror story about the ‘terrible 20′s’.

But you know what?  I disagree with those stories.

I think life is what you make it. I think that if you want to be happy, you will find a way to be happy. I think that if you’re meant to be in college, you will study hard and learn and enjoy it along the way.

I’m 24 and my twenties have been my favorite part of my life so far. Granted, I’m constantly trying to have the best time of my life, so I’ll probably be bouncing off the same sentiments when I’m 40, too…but what’s wrong with that? Read More »

The other night, I was listening to the radio (yeah, I heard I was the last one on earth who still does this) and the DJ was discussing a new ailment claiming pretty much anyone under the age of 25. This new disease: The Hills Syndrome.

No, it’s not what you would think, not an obsession with trashy TV, trying to keep up on the latest fashions, or incestuous dating, but instead a nearly non-existent work ethic. That’s right, watching The Hills is making you a bad employee.

Initially, I scoffed at the woman’s assertions (I will give her the Spencer points though, since he has no job – unless he considers being Heidi’s boyfriend/ “manager” a full time gig.) I have been known to watch The Hills from time to time, and am still capable of holding down a job. And, for whatever points it’s worth, I’ve even commented to my friends during a Hills viewing about the amazing yet easy seeming jobs the cast snags. How the hell they manage to get them with no degrees or really any intelligence, and how they hold on to them considering the better part of their day is spent out around town, texting, partying , chatting, or twirling their hair, is beyond me. I think it is safe to assume if it wasn’t for MTV, LC and the gals would be living solely off their Laguna Beach allowances.

But I digress. After taking a moment to ponder the work ethic of early twenty-somethings such as myself, I have to admit I don’t think I have the same desire to “get my hands dirty” as say, my parents or grandparents did in their early twenties. Rather than it being a result of “The Hills” though, I think it has a little something to do with a sense of entitlement from being what I like to call, a Millennial. (Millennial is great word huh? I wish I could take credit for that little catch phrase, but it was actually a friend of mine who mentioned it.) Read More »

It hit me today that Spring is actually here. As I trucked down the street donning my winter jacket, snowboots (not the cute Uggs, but actually Arctic chill winter boots) and a fuzzy sweater, I realized I was sweating profusely and thought, “Hm, it’s time to wear less clothing.”

The problem is, I have no MONEY for clothing. Something about being a TwentySomething in New York City. Good thing there are a ton of stores these days catering to ladies just like me who are short on cash and ready to shimmy off their parkas and slip into something a bit cooler.

Check it: Forever 21 Goodness.

Yellow Sundress at Forever21.com for $22.80

And no, yellow is not obnoxious — it’s awesome. Read More »

Our generation has been called a lot of things. Lazy. Fame obsessed. Narcissistic. Unmotivated. Oversexed. Why haven’t you Twenty-Something’s moved out of your parents’ house yet? The general consensus seems to be. Why are your parents still giving your money? Stop watching reality TV and and get a real job!

Instead of pushing against the unfocused, immature stereotype so much of the older generation is trying to box us into, “Quarterlife” a new MySpace web show (soon to be a real NBC show) plays right into their frustrated hands.

Produced by “the creative minds behind My So-Called Life”, “Quarterlife” follows 6 white kids in their twenties, most of whom consider themselves some type of artsy bohemian. In weekly, 10-minute installations, the characters on “Quarterlife” walk around plugged into their iPods and deal with, you know, issues. Sexual tension, boredom, sexual frustration, confusion, sexual discontent…everyone’s so like, conflicted. So like, unsure. Happiness is fleeting, and nothing makes like, any sense at all. Read More »

These girls say hooking-up is the new dating.

Do you agree?

I don’t. I think hooking-up is the new way to stop feeling lonely on a Saturday night. The new way for collegiate / twenty-something aged girls to feel powerful and anti-emotional (since we’re constantly being told we overreact about everything). A new symptom of a sexually driven media culture, perhaps. But I don’t think it’s the new dating.

How little faith do we have in relationships these days if we think hooking-up is the only way to meet people? It’s one of the only ways to have an awkward sexual experience, but it’s certainly not the only way to meet a fantastic guy.

In fact, I think it’s a horrible way to meet a fantastic guy. The more I like someone, the less inclined I am to take a running leap into bed. It sounds a little backwards, but the more I want to be with someone, the longer I’ll hold out, because by then it’s about a connection, an experience, and not just gratification. Read More »