1. Hangovers become a real thing.
When you were twenty-something years old, you bragged about not having hangovers. You could even continue to drink the next day. Say goodbye to those days, because hangovers will soon become real torture that lasts 2 days. The torture includes nausea, headaches, and the famous quote “I am too old for this s**t.” However, the bright side is that you finally learn to enjoy drinks, especially wine, and learn to get just a little drunk — which will make you happy rather than regretting your whole life.
2. Wild nightlife becomes a night in.
As you learn to enjoy good wine, and have the money to buy expensive drinks instead of cheap ones, you stop tolerating people who yell, drink a lot, and party till the morning. Crowded places, where the biggest challenge is getting to the bar and ordering drinks, are replaced with a night in with your partner or friends, drinking wine, having dinner, and watching films. Some Saturdays also mean spending time with a good movie or a book and just lying in a comfy bed.
3. You can’t eat everything anymore.
Before, you could eat any time of day, whatever you wanted, and not gain a pound. Now, everything you put in your body will show. Gaining weight becomes easier, as well as getting cellulite. So, you need to start exercising and eating healthier — which does not mean eating a cheeseburger at 2 AM. Your metabolism and digestive system may have failed you, but eating healthy food and exercising will pay off.
4. Wrinkles, wrinkles everywhere.
You never cared about wrinkles until you saw your first ones. They don’t make you ugly, nor can everyone see them. The main problem with wrinkles is that you actually realize you are getting old and you cannot stop time. Real wrinkles come later, but when they occur you won’t care and they won’t be important. However, wrinkles are the first sign of becoming an adult, and there’s no reason to be sad and scared, because it’s much better than you think.
5. Grey hair starts to appear.
In your twenties, there were some grey hairs, but you could just pluck them and the problem was solved. However, when you turn 30, those grey hairs get to work on taking over your whole head — plucking isn’t an option anymore. Since you have a job, you can afford an expensive and professional hair dresser who will create the perfect red carpet hairstyle for you — and make sure that your hair color is spot on.
6. You’ll actually start organizing events in advance.
Till recently, your motto regarding events was “go with the flow,” and planning was basically tweeting or posting an update about the event. The formula used to be: buy drinks, some food, the place doesn’t matter, nor does who shows up. However, those days are long gone. Now if you want to organize something, you do a lot of careful planning and make sure there are various drinks, extraordinary meals, and instead of tweets, you actually send invitations. When you were young, you couldn’t understand why people made such a big fuss about planning a wedding. Now, you aren’t just planning every little detail of your wedding, but also going through a pile of magazines and websites on the daily.
7. Your newsfeed is full of baby photos… and you like it.
You probably can’t tell exactly when the photos appearing in your newsfeed changed from wild parties to babies, but you actually don’t mind it at all. You may be complaining about them or making sarcastic comments, but deep inside you know that you like those cute baby pictures.
8. You don’t get easily offended
You were always confident, but you were a bit lost in the chaotic life — and the whole process of finding a job that you liked and figuring out who and where you want to be. By the time you turn 30, you still won’t have figured things out, but at least you’ll know what you want and how to get it. When you were in your twenties, you were shaken and angry by a single comment on social media, but now you really don’t care about those things. You don’t have time for unimportant negative things. That’s why you don’t get easily offended, and you know how to stand up for yourself.
9. You have a small circle of real friends.
Going out with 10 friends is a thing of the past, and you don’t tolerate random people that annoy you. You will finally learn to appreciate those few real friends that you have and love them unconditionally. Real happiness is having a few friends with whom you can share everything, instead of wasting time on toxic people or those that only drain your energy and give nothing back. Your best friends are the people you want to be with for the rest of your life.
10. You travel better.
No more cheap hotels and cramped hostel rooms, and say goodbye to sleeping in a car because you went on an unplanned vacation. In your thirties, you can afford nice rooms, eating in restaurants, and traveling with style. Moreover, travelling has expanded beyond trips to top destinations. Traveling now includes short weekend trips to the countryside where you will recharge your batteries.
11. Love and sex are better.
You may have found the one or you might still be searching, but one thing is certain: you will find the person who truly makes you happy. Love becomes the only thing that keeps you going and inspires you to do more. Of course, your sex life also becomes better as your thirties are the time when you finally start loving your body, which makes you more confident around your partner. After all, if we put some changes aside, being 30 is awesome. There is no better time to experience life. Don’t be afraid — things will only get better.
