What were you doing at 20?

[Mrs Cucumber]

I was living at home with my mum for the first half, working as senior carer in a nursing home which was having a huge extension, the plan was that I would be given my own wing to run then I shagged one of the builders in a new bedroom whilst on shift quit the job before I was sacked and went and lived with him on his boat and sailed around the UK!

 

[Rantasaurus]

Two weeks after my 20th I lost my son who was born prematurely. This caused me to completely reevaluate everything and prompted my partner and I to move back to his home country. We’re still here 2 and half years later happily buying a house and very lucky to be expecting our rainbow baby

 

[Danielle1]

At 20 i was living in a homeless hostel, on the dole, smoking weed, mentally unstable and fat.

Now I'm 22 I have my own home, but still on the dole, smoking weed, mentally unstable and fat.

 

[LittleMy]

Hadn’t long started working full-time as a care assistant in my previous job (was there 10 years), living in my own house and dating an alcoholic man-child who was forever in and out of jobs. By the end of that relationship (7 years) I’d had a mental breakdown, was on medication for depression and anxiety, and had contemplated ending my life so many times.

Just to add, I’m married to a really great guy now, have two beautiful kids and still work in healthcare (my heart will always be in that job). I still have poor mental health days, and life has its ups and downs, but I’m way happier now than I ever was in those last 11 years. My life was very lonely with my ex, I took a lot of shit from him for too long.

 

[Marmaladeapricot]

Uni in London living my best life clubbing in the early naughties when clubs were for dancing not selfies

 

[Naysayer]

I was working full time, living in a rented flat with my boyfriend of 2 years and we had a cat. Fast forward to now, I work part time, I live in a house that we have a mortgage on, I'm married to that boyfriend.we have 4 kids. The cat is long gone but we have a dog.

 

[Sogdhitalley]

Lots and lots of men

 

[Imadreamer]

I was at uni. Had a bit of a shit time of it with a sudden family bereavement, a really ill partner and trying to balance my first "proper" job.
Would love to let myself know that less than ten years later things all worked out for the best.

 

[Zenchick101]

living at home, pressured to finish a community college diploma I wasn't enjoying and still told what to do by my parents/job in a clothing store. 4 years later things are better, going to uni for something I actually enjoy (first year) and living abroad on my own making my own decisions and got a lovely boyfriend.

 

[Titntat]

At 20 I'd just moved into my first flat with my boyfriend. It was an amazing flat in the town centre, all singing and dancing. All young professionals and any body who was any body lived their. (Rent wasnt alot because we live up north about £600).
I was grafting my arse off working 70 hours week. Going out three times a week getting drunk and going to nandos more than I ate in .
Going to the gym every single day and shopping for clothes nearly every other. Driving around in my brand new fiesta ST loving life. Holidays in fancy places 5 times at least year.
By the time I was 22 I'd just secured a full time job (because I was already employed by the council I got a full time wage, but was on an apprenticeship).
We had just brought out first house, it was right when the housing market had crashed. We paid 25k under asking price and made about 60k on it, minimal work, the previous owners spent a fortune doing it up to sell. It was a little terrace. I stopped going out (because I was pregnant) got my self a audi a4 (always been into cars). Had our first baby and decided it was time to sell up and buy a bigger house.
By 25 we moved into our forever home but it needed alot of work and both was moving rapidly up the ladder regarding jobs.
Now I'm 29 have two kids, dream house and dream cars.
Their had been bumps in the road. Nothings perfect. People move at their own pace. Only reason we got onto the property ladder at a young age is because I got a large amount of inheritance.

 

[Buy.this.tat]

I turned 20 at 8 months pregnant and facing life as a single mother. I felt very low and miserable as if I’d ruined my life by falling pregnant and I’d never be happy again. I’m turning 40 this year and I’m dreading it, I still feel 25 my twenties were spent at college and working part time and being a mum. My thirties came with a bit of freedom as my son got older and became a teenager, I had much more of a social life. I changed career 4 years ago which was the best move I made, I make decent money and I’m now in the process of buying my first home after living in a council flat for years. There’s been some pretty devasting times in between and being a single parent is hard work most of the time and even having boyfriends I’ve never not felt like a single parent but I also made all my own decisions and feel proud of the way my son was raised. So although 40 feels ancient, I’m in a much happier stable place.

 

[heatmagazine]

I was a heroin addict, with a toxic drug dealer, emotionally fucked with things going more down hill as the days / years went on. I’d rather be dead than clean it seemed so had no intention of stopping until I was 26, no veins and stuck on methadone I went into treatment for the 5th time and stuck with it ever since. I wouldn’t worry about what you are doing and don’t get FOMO. Life isn’t short. It’s the longest thing we will ever do.

 

[erin182]

I was at uni, living at home and going on nights out at least twice a week also had a part time job in maccies

 

[Jess269]

I had a 3 year old and was pregnant with my 2nd we had just bought a house. Im now 34 nearly 35 and i wish i had enjoyed being young a bit more x

 

[Agatha Quizty]

It's been a long time since I was 20. I met my husband when I was 18. At 20 I had started a full time job and was living with my boyfriend and father in law as my mother in law died very young and unexpectedly. We bought our house when I was 22 and baby one appeared when I was 23 and baby number two at 25. My eldest is 20 and at uni, still with us.

 

[Meh]

At 20 I was living in Glasgow, at Uni, working part time in debt collection (eww ) snd I had not long started dating a guy... who I am still with 12 years on

it was also a time of nights out, cheap student booze, plastic costume jewellery and loads of sparkly urban decay eye make up oh and nights out everyone took a wee digital camera. Had fun and didn’t flipping pose all night

 

[Rlaw1978]

At Uni, working part time and got married that year. We’ve been together 20 years - shows my age lol.

 

[CCnow]

Just going with the flow. Still living at home. Didn't have a clue what I wanted to do and didn't care so worked in a factory. No pressure from the parents just as long as I paid them board. Loved the 90's. Out Friday night, Saturday night and all dayer on Sundays. No chance I could handle that now. 2 drinks nowadays and I'm done.

 

[LittleMy]

Hadn’t long started working full-time as a care assistant in my previous job (was there 10 years), living in my own house and dating an alcoholic man-child who was forever in and out of jobs. By the end of that relationship (7 years) I’d had a mental breakdown, was on medication for depression and anxiety, and had contemplated ending my life so many times.

 

[McNuggets]

We weren’t married yet, had a one year old. Had barely any money. Very different now but it was hard back then.