What Being 30 Means

So there, I turned 30 last year, and I'm turning 31 by midnight tonight. Not like it has really done anything to me. When I was younger I had this plan you know, like oh get a job I really really like, then get married at 25, have kids a couple of years later, then by 30 buy a landed property and live happily ever after. 

Eh...

None of that happened.

To be honest, I feel like I'm 24 (but a little wiser), I'm still exploring the never-ending world out there, I still feel like I need to travel (a lot), I'm still learning, and no, being 30 doesn't make me a 萬事通. Here are things you will learn about being 30.

1. Life will sort itself out.

I know, at 20 we just see ourselves finishing school and going out there into the real world, fighting our own battles and coming out a real adult, with plans to tick off (like mine). Sometimes the universe just has something else planned. And it may not necessarily be a bad thing. 

2. No one's going to give you a pat on the back for the great things you've done.

I can do great things. Like attempt to fly.

Gone are the days when being an 8-pointer for your O'levels secures you a trip to the Florida Disneyland by your parents. You are responsible for yourself now, more so now that you're (already) 30. That being said, when you do have a little achievement, take time to celebrate that. If you don't dote on yourself, who will?

3. Also, no one's going to scold you anymore for the wrong things you are doing. 

If they wanted to, they'd have already done so. At 30, unless you have a great mentor or a senior who actually bothers, no one will reprimand you. They won't bother because they'd have figured out that you already know. Or they won't dare to because they are more junior than you. If you smell bad because you didn't wash your clothes? Well you should have done your laundry. If your teeth are rotting and you can't find a bf because you haven't bothered to take care of your oral hygiene, guess who's to blame? If you look bad, well, that's your own problem. FIX IT.

4. You have to start exercising.

This one we've all heard. I've heard this from when I first started working, from the "adults in their 30s". I used to think it's just them being old and starting to be wiser about health and taking better care of their bodies. Turns out, it IS FREAKING TRUE! That the metabolism miraculously just decides to slow down. We used to not have to exercise and still keep the figure despite eating whatever we liked. Or lose weight easily when we had to. Now? Nuh-uh. You want that figure? Work for it. No work? Okay, Humpty-Dumpty, your choice.

5. We have a LOT to learn. More than when we were kids.

When I was little I never had to Google stuff. I just knew how to do them! Or at least, I always had my own way of doing the things I never knew how to do. These days, I feel a lot more stupid.

6. Passion may start to die a little, or change.

Yup, when I was younger and you offered me the world I'd take it. Now, tell me the a China company wants to sign me on and offer me a 10 year contract as an actress/singer, I'm going to take a very long time to consider. You see, what was passion then could have changed. I still enjoy what I do, but now I might want something else. I don't have many more 10 years left, and now what I want is to build my own business and see it grow. That's kind of more exciting now.

7. Botox is real.

I don't know if you've ever been one of those who goes "Aiyoh she goes for botox!" or "Man I want to age gracefully", but for me, when lines appear around the eyes and even the most expensive creams don't help, I reach for the phone to make an appointment with my aesthetic doctor. I'm not condoning aesthetic treatments, but I'm not shunning them either. They are doctors, and doctors are meant to help people. Plus, if the government allows doctors to use these on people, these things can't be bad. Sometimes, if all it takes is a jab to make you feel like you can take on the world again, by all means go ahead! Just make sure you go to a trusted doctor. ;)

So there you go. What it's like to be 30. Now I'm gonna wash up and prepare. In about 2 minutes, I'm turning 31. See ya on the other side!