Rachel, Day by Day
Here is everyday life in the mornings with this cutie.
When you look back on your day, it rarely seems exciting or memorable. During your everyday routine, how do you feel most days? Stressed? Worried? Happy? Relaxed? When you look back on a few weeks or a month instead of just a day, you tend to remember the more defining moments in your life (e.g., fun things you did or places you went, a promotion at a job). I thought I’d analyze the basics of what I do day by day now compared to college and my 20s. Since I’m now in my 30s, life is a little different. It’s crazy to think about how your little day-to-day activities can drastically change even over five years.
College
- Woke up early (that meant 8 or 9 a.m.).
- Put some random clothes on (or nice clothes to impress a guy in a class).
- Went to class.
- Had lunch with friends in the dining hall.
- Went to a few more classes.
- Took a nap between those classes.
- Went to dinner with friends.
- Played on the laptop for a while.
- Talked to boys and friends on AIM (AOL instant messenger).
- Did a little homework.
- Stayed up late with roommates watching TV or playing games.
- Took a shower.
- Went to bed late.
- On weekends during the day: Shopped, walked around campus, hung out with friends, did a little homework, binge-watched Dawson’s Creek or Friends, got smoothies, etc.
- On weekends at night: Pre-drank at our apartment, went to a bar or party around 10 or 11 p.m., stayed out until 2 or 3 a.m., slept in the next day until around 2 or 3 p.m.
Single in my 20s
- Woke up around 6 a.m.
- Got ready really fast and then relaxed.
- Went to work.
- Ate lunch with friends in the cafeteria or brought my own lunch.
- Played tennis or worked out on my lunch hour.
- Ran errands after work.
- Went home and watched TV for a while.
- Went for a walk.
- Made dinner.
- Watched more TV.
- Played on my laptop and phone.
- Took a shower.
- Went to bed.
- On weekends during the day: Went for a walk, shopped, did chores around my apartment, cooked something more elaborate, spent time with friends, played games and watched TV, went swimming, etc.
- On weekends at night: Went to happy hours with friends, played games with family and friends, went dancing, sang karaoke, went to dinner and bars.
Relationship/Married in my Mid to Late 20s
- Woke up around 5:30 a.m.
- Got ready really fast.
- Sang in the car and drank coffee on my way to work.
- Got to work way too early.
- Ate lunch with friends in the cafeteria or brought my own lunch.
- Worked out on my lunch hour.
- Drove an hour home.
- Made dinner.
- Watched TV.
- Paid bills, watched TV, ran errands, etc.
- Went to the grocery store to get wine and cookies.
- Played on my laptop and phone.
- Took a shower.
- Went to bed.
- On weekends during the day: Ran errands or cleaned the house, shopped, cooked something more elaborate, spent time with family or friends, walked around downtown.
- On weekends at night: Went to a restaurant or bar with the hubby, drank wine and watched a movie, went out with friends or family.
My 30s (Now)
- Wake up at 6 a.m.
- Get ready really fast.
- Wake my kid up.
- Give him breakfast.
- Change his clothes.
- Gather his things.
- Drive kid to day care.
- Go to work.
- Eat lunch at my desk or in the kitchen.
- Drive home and sing in the car.
- Play with kid.
- Make dinner.
- Watch my kid occasionally not eat what I make, so make something else.
- Clean up.
- Take a shower.
- Play with kid.
- Give him a bath and put on his pajamas.
- Do our bedtime routine.
- Pay bills, watch TV, do computer errands, play on phone.
- Go to bed.
- On weekends during the day: Visit family or friends, play with the kid around the house, clean the house, go on toddler outings.
- On weekends at night: Watch TV, pay bills, drink wine, eat cookies, go out with the husband and friends if we have a babysitter.
So, what are my conclusions from this? Here is a stream of consciousness for you.
Conclusion 1. There are things we do every single day but never take the time to really think about them on a deeper level. Sleep is part of our everyday routine, which is really weird when you think about it. We are supposed to be unconscious at night for eight hours. We eat two or three meals a day. We work. We go to school. We usually have leisure time at some point every day. We take showers, put clothes on, and brush our teeth (hopefully). We do these things automatically without really thinking about it. Next time I brush my teeth, I’m going to analyze the way I do it. Which hand do I use? Do I start at the bottom or the top? (I’ll probably forget to do this.)
Conclusion 2. My 20s don’t really feel that long ago, but when I stop to think about when I graduated college, that was 11 years ago. Wow. One of my cousins, who is currently single, recently said to me, “You’ve never dated, so you don’t know what it’s like.” Umm, yes I did. I went through some weirdos in my 20s. And I was probably a weirdo myself. I did things I regret, like many people do in their early 20s. I’m just in a different phase in life now. Now she only sees me as a married woman. But I can look back at my 20s and laugh, smile, and grimace at certain things!
Conclusion 3. Speaking of different phases, being in your 30s is definitely different. Now that I made it, sometimes I feel like I’m supposed to have everything together. That I’m supposed to be a real adult now. Even having a kid, I don’t feel that way most of the time! Maybe I sometimes feel like that young, silly girl trapped in a 30-something woman’s body. And that’s not always a bad thing. We just learn how to act more mature socially and in public. I think in your 30s, you’re kind of in the middle. The crazy 20s aren’t that far away, but you’re not an older adult yet. Sports players are getting to be younger than you, which is strange.
Conclusion 4. I think being in your 30s means you have to try a little harder. If you want to move up your career, you have to work more. If you want your kid to learn things, you have to teach them. If you have been married for a little while, you have to work harder at it since the newlywed phase is over. If you are single, it might not be as easy to meet someone. You don’t get to see friends as often, so you have to work hard to maintain those friendships. I need to work on that and hope I can.
As you can see, things change over time! My 20s were fun and lively, and my 30s are great and full of surprises with a husband and toddler. Let’s see what the 40s and 50s bring!
Randomosity 