Before 30

Birthdays are a strange thing, to be honest. I haven't really comprehended yet that as of tomorrow, I will be 21 years old. It's an age where you have to admit that for all intents and purposes, you're an adult.

Last year, I reflected on 20 things that I'd learned during my first 20 years of life. This year, I'm looking ahead and sharing ten things I hope to achieve in the next nine years. Turning 30 seems a long time away, but it's only 9 years....How the heck did that occur?


  1. Present at a research conference. I am currently working on my thesis and will be presenting my very own research at research conferences across the country (and potentially internationally). As someone who doesn't intend to continue a career in academics, I'm so excited that I'll get this opportunity before I graduate. 
  2. Graduate from university. I will (hopefully) graduate from Elon University in 2017. I can't believe that I'm almost done with my formal education after so many years. 
  3. Find a job that I love. Whether that translates to working for a PR agency in Raleigh or doing social media for a theatre website (the ultimate dream!), I want to work at a job that I can't wait to go to every day. 
  4. Move to New York City. It's always been my dream to live in New York City and it's definitely something I want to do before I turn 30. (In fact, I intend to have moved 
  5. Fall in love. I've never been in love before, but I love the very idea of love. I'm a hopeless romantic at heart who cries when Mr. Bingley proposes to Jane Bennet and adores the moment in Les Mis when Marius and Cosette first meet. I hope that I'll experience love myself within the next nine years. 
  6. Attend the Broadway opening of Miss Saigon. Supposedly Miss Saigon is coming to Broadway in the near future. I've promised myself that I will be there opening weekend and I intend to make it happen! 
  7. Go to Copenhagen. I've wanted to visit Copenhagen for years and hearing about my roommate Lauren's summer abroad there only made me want to visit it more. 
  8. See my sister graduate high school. My baby sister, who is just 12 right now, will graduate high school within the next nine years...which is a very scary thought for me, but I know I will be so proud of her. 
  9. Attend a Broadway premiere. Whether working it for a theatre publication or attending it, I want to be on the red carpet of the premiere of a Broadway show. It might be the craziest of all these dreams, but I will hopefully find some way to make it happen. 
  10. Get married. No, it doesn't have to happen by the time I turn 30, but I would certainly prefer for it too. Of course, I have to achieve #5 first. ;) 
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