30+ Before 30

In several months (May to be exact) I will be approaching my 29th birthday, and while this may not be a big deal to some who have already crossed over the 30 hurdle...however, for me hitting 29 gives me a little bit of anxiety, so I decided to start looking and making a list of things I should/want to accomplish before the BIG 3-0 hits me in a year. I figured it could be part of my resolutions for 2013, because when 2014 arrives it will be too late (with only a few months to accomplish).

Some of the lists I have seen have had great pieces of advice, while others were a bit ridiculous and set goals to entirely too high of a standard. Some things will never happen for some...or they may never have to opportunity to even begin to accomplish it. I must say that I am fairly lucky blessed in life that I have the opportunity to do so much and to really experience life. Now I am not flying off internationally every weekend or anything but I consider myself a very lucky girl. So lets see what type of list I can come up with, and if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. I am also including things on this list that I have already accomplished, so I don't look at this list with such fear of having to accomplish everything knowing I have done so much already.

1. Own decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
2. Have something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour. I have an incredible closet but I do need that go to outfit. Oh my goodness you won't believe how many times I scramble to find the perfect thing to wear, no matter the occasion. 
3. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
4. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
5. Own a set of screwdrivers (for the record, I bought an IKEA set but I am not sure where the whole set went), a cordless drill and a black lace bra.
6. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
7. To stop apologizing for something that isn’t my fault or out of my control
8. Get Blackout Drunk – At least once in your life you should get so drunk that you don’t remember anything. The following morning’s hangover will teach you the pros and cons of drinking too much.
9. Take a Flight - Go on a flight anywhere for any amount of time. It may seem basic, but the amount of people you meet who have never been on a plane is astonishing.
10. Play a sport you played in elementary school. Kickball, dodgeball. There are leagues for these games now. Get on it. I use to play softball, like whoa (yea, I said it) and I miss it. aking you a better person. The sport you choose could end up being one of your life long passions. 
11. Live on Your Own – Don’t be the person who still lives at home at 30. Get out on your own and learn what it is like to have some responsibilities other than cleaning your room.
12. Learn to Cook – This is arguably the most important point on this list. Learning to cook is done through trial and error. The more you do it and the more you experiment, the better you become.
13. Dance – Stop worrying about what you look like and get out on the dance floor. The truth about dancing is no one really knows what they are doing, so go fit in!
14. Learn to Drive Stick – This is a skill you won’t really feel like you need until it is too late and your drunken friend only has a manual car. Take the day and learn how to drive stick.
15. Go to Las Vegas – Going to Las Vegas before you turn 30 gives you the full chance to experience all of it. Go to the clubs, gamble, stay up all night, and go home with a stranger because hell it’s Vegas.
16. Sing Karaoke – Go to a karaoke bar and pick the song you know best. Anyone who has ever sung at a karaoke bar will tell you the crowd is probably the nicest you can find. After you are done you will be satisfied with yourself for going up and singing in front of strangers.
17. Get a Job – Get some sort of income. As you get older more and more financial responsibilities will accumulate. Get a job and start saving some money.
18. Quit a Job – If you don’t like the job you are doing then you should quit. Quitting a job takes some courage. Just like breaking up with someone, take the experience for what it’s worth and find a job more suited to your passions.
19. Exercise – It is much easier to get in shape while you are young. Your metabolism slows down after 30 and your hormones start to act differently. Exercising before 30 will set you up for a better body after 30..
20. See a Live Event (Concert or Sporting) –Things are good on television, but nothing compares to seeing a sporting event or concert live in person. If you haven’t been to either by the time you are 30, you’re missing out.
21. Learn to Shuffle a Deck of Cards – It will take you 20 minutes to learn and then you are set for the rest of your life. Next time it’s poker night, you won’t have to worry yourself when it’s your turn to deal.
22. Party All Night – The older you get, the harder partying becomes on your body. Not to mention as you get older you have more responsibilities the day after partying. Make sure to party until the sun rises once in your life. Cap off the night with some McDonalds breakfast and relish the memory.
23. Ride a Mechanical Bull - I've never done it and would like to before I cross over to the dark side. May on the night, I party all night! 
24. Own Something – The first 30 years of your life are there to set up the following 30. Own something of value before you turn 30. Whether it is a property, apartment, or your own business it doesn’t matter. Have something of value.
25. Ask Out a Stranger – Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” This quote applies to dating more than anything else. Getting over approach anxiety becomes easier with each time you go up to a stranger. It’s not hard to go up to a stranger and ask them for directions, what is the difference between that and asking them out?
26. Ride a Roller Coaster – You will notice there aren’t things like skydive or bungee jump on this list and there’s a reason. Some people just aren’t thrill seekers, which is understandable. However, everyone should get strapped into a Roller Coaster and feel what it is like to go through fast twists and turns. If you don’t do it by 30, what makes you think you will do it after that?
27. Give to a Charity/Volunteer – No matter how bad you think your life is, someone else has it much worse. Hey you have internet access, something that only 32% of people in the world have. So take some of your free time and volunteer with after school programs, soup kitchens or coach a youth team. If you don’t have time, give $5 to next person you see from the Red Cross
28. Don’t feel the need to respond to every text message, phone call, and email the second it reaches you. Once upon a time, it took longer than a minute to reach someone. People used stamps and envelopes; they had answering machines they didn't check for hours, sometimes days. No one will die if you don’t immediately respond to every message you receive. I need to get rid the feeling that the cell phone is attached to my hand. 
29. STOP PROCRASTINATING THE TRIP ABROAD. YOUR CHANCES OF TAKING A LONG VACATION ABROAD DIMINISH AS YOU BECOME MORE SET IN YOUR WAYS AND AS YOU GAIN MORE RESPONSIBILITY.
30. Go to NYC
31. Go to a winery and stomp grapes
32. Go to the mountains and beaches of North Carolina...lived here 10 years and I have never been. Bad, I know. 
33. Sit down, unplug, and read non-fiction more often.
34. Take road trips. Sitting in a car for days on end isn't something your body was designed to do forever.
35. Go to/host theme parties. Once people age out of their 20s, no one’s trying to wear pajamas or Saran Wrap out of the house. The only theme parties that exist after your 20s are ‘Wedding,’ ‘Baby Shower,’ and ‘Funeral.’
36. Jump out of a plane or jump off a bridge. If not literally, figuratively. Face your worst fears. Tell 1 person you've always had a crush on (and who you know is out of your league) that they oughta give you a crack at ‘em. Demand a raise. Something like that.
    But I literally, have been saying I will go sky-diving for years. I want to do this before I turn 30. 
37. Own a motorcycle. Not gonna happen. But I have taken a ride on the back of one. 
38. Take pictures with more than just my iPhone. Hello, you own a camera. Use it. Maybe I will even invest in a DSLR. 
39. Keep adding money to my savings. It is important!
40. Try something new. Anything.  
41. Find an incredible Halloween costume. Every year, I get really excited about Halloween and say it is going to be epic. But this as the 31st approaches, I lose the drive to really find something. This year...the last year of my 20's will be different. 
42. Own a designer handbag .
43. Shoot a gun. I have never had a lot of exposure to guns, my family has never owned a gun. But I do have a desire to at least shoot a gun...but I would prefer it to be in the safety of a shooting range. 
44. GET A TATTOO. Just like the whole jumping out of a plane, I have been saying this for years. 
45.  EAT SOMETHING CRAZY
46. Get back into shape & peak physical condition...I already have a trainer...now it is imperative that I get in amazing shape. I want to be good at yoga by 30. 
47. Enjoy Life – Time is ticking and the faster you decide to be happy, the better. No one cares if you are mad, so you may as well be happy.
48. Have an EPIC 30th Birthday party!

So that is the list as of the 3rd of January - three days into the new year and 4 months and 21 days until my 29th birthday and the beginning of the last year of my 20's. Yikes. Do you have a before 30 list? Or did you do anything before you crossed over to the other side. 

Sources

http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2007/02/things-women-should-have-and-know-by-30

http://www.cavemag.com/30-things-you-should-do-before-youre-30-2/

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/21-ways-you-should-take-advantage-of-your-20s/

http://www.positivelypresent.com/2012/08/things-before-thirty.html