21 Things Every 21 Year Old Should Know

So you’re 21.

Right now you have plenty of questions, decisions to make, and most importantly, a lot of fun and exploring to do.

I remember being 21.

I made both smart and dumb decisions.

In this article, I’ll share everything I wish I knew when I was 21.

This knowledge is a result of my personal life experiences.

Let’s begin.

1. Don’t Do it Just For The Money

Going after a career that earns you a lot of money doesn’t mean you’re going to be happy.

Many people who earn “good” money constantly complain about their job.

What’s the point of making a lot of money if you’re miserable 40+ hours out of the week.

If you decide to go to college, make sure it’s for career you actually enjoy.

You’ll live a lot happier making less money doing something you love.

The best financial move you can make it to begin earning money online which I show you how to do here.

Everything and everyone is online.

Many jobs are being outsourced.

If you’re not making money online, you’re staying behind.

2. You’ll Lose Friends

Don’t take it personal and don’t worry about it. 

At 21, people are figuring out who they are. 

They might begin hanging with a different crowd and you’ll notice less phone calls and text messages. 

It’s not you, it’s not them, it’s life. 

People change, grow, and become who their destined to. 

You’re going to lose friends in life, but you’ll also make plenty of new ones. 

3. Travel

Your mind is currently soaking up information and beliefs about how the world works, how people treat each other, and what they value. 

Traveling allows your mind to explore different cultures and their way of life.

It also allows you to “disconnect” from reality and give your mind a break.

Try your best to travel a minimum of twice a year. 

Make sure you go somewhere you’ve never gone opposed to traveling to the same place. 

A good tip is to plan and book your trips early so that you get a great deal on flight and hotel.

4. Party Smart

You’re 21 and now is when the real partying starts.

This is a great age where you have fun and form many memories. 

You should allow yourself to party and enjoy being young. 

However, don’t put yourself in a situation that leads to bad consequences.

One night of partying dangerously can go on to affect your whole life.

Be cautious with your decisions.

You already know that drinking and driving has injured and killed many people your age.

Don’t say it won’t happen to you. 

If you drink, split an Uber or Lyft with friends.

Period.

5. Save Money

Whether its $20 or $200 a month, save as much as you can starting right now!

You never know when you’ll have an emergency.

Discipline yourself to save a certain amount of money monthly.

Don’t spend all your money on friends, partying, or unnecessary things.

Have fun, but set a budget for yourself and always seek cheaper ways to do things.

A little effort now can save you a lot of money in the long run.

There’s always a cheaper option for things. 

Check online for deals on whatever you’re considering doing or buying.

6. Credit Cards Will Haunt You

I know what a credit card with $1,000 can do to a 21 year old.

Those $1,000 can be spent a lot quicker than you can afford to pay them back. 

It’s very tempting to go out and use it for fun. 

However, be smart with it.

I recommend that you only use it if you MUST.

I understand that you probably don’t have a lot of “spending money” at this age and want to have fun.

Allow yourself a little splurge here and there, but don’t overdo it.

Credit card companies are sneaky with their interest rates and fees, click here to read an article I wrote about it.

A $1,000 credit card bill with interest can haunt you for months and even years, depending on how long you take to repay it. 

Your credit is something that you should take care of, even at 21 years old. 

I would advise that stay away from credit cards completely, but I’m realistic and understand that you might need a little financial assistance at times.

7. Live at Home or With Roommates

The cost of living is high.

Depending on where you live, the price of rent can be a nightmare!

I would suggest staying at home or moving in with a roommate until you’re earning enough money to support yourself. 

Keep in mind that rent isn’t the only thing to consider when moving out alone.

There’s light, water, food, and cable/internet bill.

Unless you find an affordable studio or efficiency that includes those bills in the rent, I would suggest staying at home or finding a roommate.

You’re 21, you’ll have plenty of time to live alone.

Make sure you choose a roommate who is responsible and that you feel you can trust.

You don’t want to have to worry about not having money for rent, bills, or food.

8. Health

Drinking, partying, and fast food tends to be the lifestyle for many 21 year olds.

There’s no time to cook, there’s parties with alcohol, and life is fast paced. 

If you’re not working or studying, you’re either sleeping or partying. 

Like I said, you should enjoy yourself and party on the regular but it doesn’t mean you have to let yourself go.

Stick to healthy foods as much as possible.

If you do the math, you’re probably spending a lot more money on fast food than you think.

A trip to the market can run you the same amount of money and allows you to make healthier food choices.

Make sure to incorporate some type of physical activity.

Walk, run, lift weights, swim, or anything else that involves you moving around.

Being stagnant and eating fast food will pack on the pounds quickly.

It’s OK to have your lazy days here and there, everyone needs them.

However, don’t make lazy days a habit.

Make it a routine to work on your fitness.

9. Sleep

Between college, work, and a social life; loss of sleep will be common.

Sometimes, there just isn’t enough time in the day.

You should take advantage of when you can sleep and go to bed early.

Don’t stay up watching TV or on the computer.

Get your rest so you feel good the next day.

Lack of sleep affects your mood and productivity. 

It’s OK to sleep less on certain nights, especially when you have exams, attend a special occasion, or have a night out with friends. 

Just don’t make it a habit to get by on 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night, it’s not healthy.

10. College Doesn’t Guarantee a Job

Don’t let it demotivate you, but the cold hard truth is that college does NOT guarantee you a job. 

Does this mean you should skip college? 

That’s a personal choice that only you can make. 

If you feel 100% passionate about a career, then you should attend college and pursue your dream. 

However, if you’re just attending college in hopes of landing a job, you might want to hold off before starting.

I went to college and got a Marketing degree because I absolutely love Marketing. 

Figure out what you want first, and then acknowledge if you even need a college degree for it.

There are many people who skip college and become successful.

You might get a degree in Finance, only to find out that you hate it.

Don’t waste your time or money, figure out what you love to do first. 

Some people take longer than others to figure it out.

It’s perfectly fine, it’s your life, move at your pace.

11. Contribute

Whether it’s donating money to a charity or helping kids in need, get involved in something.

I promise you’ll feel great about yourself.

You can have all the success in the world including money, great friends, and health; but to be a GREAT person, you need to learn to help people who can’t do anything for you in return.

Why do you think I have this blog with plenty of free and useful information?

I contribute to people all over the world who never have to give me a penny.

12. Don’t Get Married

At 21 years old, marriage should be the last thing on your mind. 

Marriage should only be considered after you’ve lived life, are responsible, and stable.

It should be with someone you’ve known for a while, respect, and truly love.

At 21, you haven’t known any one long enough to get married, you barely even know yourself. 

I am not saying you won’t meet someone at 21 who you should marry, but you should not be thinking this way yet. 

Remember that people are still growing and discovering themselves at this age.

There’s no reason to rush and get married.

You might really like and care about someone, but they might turn out to be someone completely different in the next five years.

Don’t argue with me on this one, no wedding plans yet.

13. Meet People

It’s easy to stick with the people you know and not talk to others.

However, meeting new people can be very rewarding.

Everyone has unique characteristics and can contribute something different to your life.

You might learn from their knowledge and experiences.

Don’t be scared to network and make new friends.

Most people are shy and self-conscious so you have to be the one to approach them. 

Invite them to coffee, lunch, the gym, or anything else that allows for conversation. 

You may meet people who will someday offer you a job or assistance with something no one else can.

14. Limit Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and all other popular social media websites have become highly addictive.

Five minutes of just browsing can turn into hours.

There’s nothing wrong with having a social media account.

It’s a great way to keep in contact with friends and family.

Just don’t allow yourself to spend hours on it daily.

Remember, whatever someone post will be there whenever you log in. 

Whether they posted it 10 minutes ago or last week, it’ll be there when you log on. 

Don’t fear “missing” anything important your friends share.

I would recommend that you allow discipline yourself to check social media twice a day, max!

15. Learn Something New Daily

Whether it’s a new word or how to build something, learn something daily. 

Your brain is starving for new information.

Set up a word of the day app on your phone, start a long puzzle, or learn how to play an instrument. 

Watch information videos on YouTube. 

Search in Google for ways to do things you’ve never tried before.

The more things you learn how to do, the smarter and more interesting you become as a person. 

16. Safe Sex

People overlook how common STD’s are.

Many STD’s are incurable and will be something you’ll have to deal with forever.

Research shows that many people who have STD’s aren’t even aware of it. 

Pregnancy is also a concern.

At 21, a baby will change the entire direction of your life. 

You have a lot left to learn, accomplish, and explore.

A child is a full-time job and you should only be thinking of becoming a parent after you’ve lived life and are settled.

It’s not to say that you can’t learn, accomplish, or explore things if you have a baby; it’s just A LOT harder.

17. Stay in Contact with Family

Today’s fast pace and busy lifestyle makes it easy to forget staying in touch with family.

Even if you don’t see them often, give them a quick 10 minute phone call and let them know what you’ve been up to.

Plan to go over their house, out to lunch, or an event.

Life goes by quickly, so make it a habit to see and/or talk to your family often, especially during birthdays, special events, and the holidays.

18. Read

Grab a book, download the audible app on your phone, or read on your computer. 

No matter which method you prefer, read daily. 

I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes a day.

Read material that’s inspiring, positive, or informative.

Don’t read the newspaper, gruesome stories, or gossip magazines.

Feed your mind healthy stuff, not damaging material.

Put your phone on silent and enjoy 30 minutes to relax and learn something.

Like I said, social media will be there when you’re done. 

19. Do Something You Fear

To become the most courageous version of yourself, you must do things you fear.

Once you face your fears, you become unstoppable.

Your confidence goes through the roof.

You learn that fear isn’t real and that it’s something your mind convinces you to believe.

Learning to push through and face your fears at 21 will be very rewarding in your career and personal life.

F.E.A.R = False Evidence Appearing Real

20. Try Something New 

It’s easy to become comfortable and do the same things daily. 

Trying something new can feel weird and uncomfortable.

In order to grow as a person, you must try new things.

There are probably 1,000 things that you’ll enjoy doing but aren’t even aware of because you haven’t tried them yet.

Hop online and see what activities are going on in your city.

You could maybe sign up for a marathon or take guitar lessons.

Doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s new.

Trying new things keeps your brain young and makes you a more interesting person.

21. Put Down Your Phone

People are beginning to look like robots the way they stare at their phones all day.

It’s an obsession! 

Learn to be “present”, and give people your undivided attention. 

Whatever is going on in your phone, can wait.

If it’s an emergency, whoever is trying to get your attention will call you.

Whatever you do, don’t text and drive.

If you must, at least wait until you’re at a red light.

You’ve heard about the fatal car accidents from texting and driving.

Just like social media, your text messages will be there later.

-Alexander Writer

PS – Don’t forget to download my Dominant Discipline book. Click here for more Information.