6 Things 20-Somethings Want

Jun. 12, 2012

By Samantha Willner info

Samantha is a New York City transplant, originally from Saratoga Springs, who currently works with McGraw-Hill ...

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1. To own books. To have an apartment that houses an overstuffed bookcase overflowing with fiction, non-fiction, autobiographies, cookbooks, self-help, and cheesy romance novels. Underneath the windowsill overlooking the city, there will sit a leather lounge chair that you picked up at an antique store or yard sale. Here, you will sit and read all your wonderful books.

2. To be loved. By friends, family, men and women. To never be alone on a Friday night. You’ll host book club meetings in your apartment and show off your overflowing bookcase. You’ll do yoga on Tuesdays. You’ll take art history classes for fun. You’ll go on dates. When your world falls apart, you’ll always have someone to call for support. A loving soul will always be there to congratulate you on your accomplishments, give you a massage after a long day, hook that difficult bracelet latch around your wrist that you can never get on your own, and of course, tell you you’re beautiful.

3. To own a unique pet, like a cockatiel or miniature pig. To have a doorman who knows your name. On rainy days, you’ll attempt to watch all the classic movies you never watched when you were younger. You’ll call your mom every Sunday. You’ll write poetry for fun. You’ll read the New York Times at your local coffee joint and attempt to do the Sunday crossword puzzles. The barista will know your order without having to ask. One day, you’ll give up coffee for green tea, but what’s the rush?

4. To be successful. To receive invitations to fashion shows and art gallery openings, but only attend them selectively. To write beautiful things to fall upon the eyes of beautiful people. Your feet will be your main form of transportation. You’ll be the most fashionable person at the office. During lunch breaks, you’ll get lost in Barnes & Noble. You’ll call your boss by his or her first name and sometimes, when a deadline is approaching, you’ll shoot each other a text. You’ll have health insurance and a retirement plan.

5. To do something crazy — like move to China — and then blame it on a fleeting youth. To eat pizza in Rome. To accumulate frequent flyer miles. To, every once in awhile, fly first class.

6. To, one day, reread these hopes and desires, smiling at the things that came to fruition, and wondering what happened to those that didn’t. TC mark

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image – Helga Weber

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  • Nope2012

    To own a unique pet? No, thank you.

    • Wackydoodle

      Seriously..doubleyouteeefffff

  • http://gravatar.com/gazallea gazalle

    I think these were vague and opinionated. These are not things that every 20 something wants and even though I agree with a few points there are some that do not apply to the entire age group. This is “a journal of a 20 something” rather than “6 things 20 somethings want”

    • Dim.

      It definitely wasn’t written to be taken literally.

      • http://gazalleardekanidotcom.wordpress.com gazalle

        I never said literally, my comment was mainly for the title.

      • wh502

        the title is fine as it is. as dim pointed out above it wasn’t to be taken literally. it was to convey a feeling and this feeling is supposed to express what 20 year olds dream and want hence the title.

    • http://twitter.com/brooklyknight David Trahan (@brooklyknight)

      Agreed. Maybe “6 Things I Want as A 20 Something” would have been better.

      • CN

        I totally agree. There are somethings on here that i’d want, but this isn’t a good generalization of most 20-somethings.

  • Wackydoodle

    This is the worst list ive ever read on TC. What a waste of two minutes.

    • http://twitter.com/brooklyknight David Trahan (@brooklyknight)

      You’re pathetic. People like you ruin the internet.

    • Megan

      Seriously? Maybe because you don’t want to move to China or own a koala bear, you’re telling me you can’t relate to this article in any way at all? Something else didn’t pop in your head? You’ve never wanted to move somewhere new? Or be loved? Or achieve something in your life? Maybe you don’t want to own books and read in your spare time or fill out a crossword puzzle, but I sure would love to have the freetime to do whatever I wanted. This article was not meant to be taken seriously, but maybe to get you to dig deep and think to yourself the things that you could want in your life. Make goals for yourself. God, you people are ridiculous. Lay off. I don’t see you posting a blog about the things you want.

  • Alex

    how about being able to pay the student loans?!

  • JessSaysHi

    Meh pretty weak writing

  • Brian

    I’m surprised this was even published.What a bunch of crap.

    • Luna

      word. the naivete is forgivable, but the execution? ugh.

  • http://www.facebook.com/rudifer Rodolfo de Oliveira

    i actually enjoyed this.
    the way that was written, it felt intimate, yet, easy to relate.
    i can check off most of those boxes (no crazy pets though), but more often than not, i don’t feel nearly as fulfilled as i hoped i would.

  • http://www.itmakesmestronger.com/2012/06/6-things-20-somethings-want/ Only L<3Ve @ ItMakesMeStronger.com

    [...] Thought Catalog » Life Add a comment With the Game of Thrones season finale just recently behind us, I’ve noticed that I’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time thinking about some Game of Thrones’ unsolved mysteries and plot developments. Who is Jaqen H’ghar? When do we get to see the dragons destroy civilization? What of the approaching zombie war? What would Game of Thrones characters do if they had Twitter accounts? In my unfortunate state of Game of Thrones withdrawal, I decided to investigate the possibilities. Here, in chronological order — for clarity (as opposed to reverse-chronological order, as would be presented in a standard Twitter feed) — are the imagined tweets of what a number of Game of Thrones characters would tweet, if they had Twitter. [...]

  • http://foodboozeandshoes.wordpress.com Melissa McCormack

    I will never conform to nook! old book smell gives me a body high.

    • http://www.twitter.com/rockyvy rockyvy

      OMG, I totally agree with you! I can’t tell if I’m just being hipster, vintage, or I guess now just a regular 20-something.

      • Halley

        I agree with everything except the pet and moving to China. So glad I’m not the only one who wants overflowing bookshelves of everything!

  • http://gravatar.com/nishantjn nishantjn

    Just … random … anything. WTH!

  • Daniel C

    This Samantha Willnner sounds so stupid….

    • H

      Ahhh you too! Yay! Y

  • Boobs

    This is unbelievably pretentious and relies on the notion that “every 20 something” can afford a privileged lifestyle.

    • Alexis

      Its 6 things 20-Somethings WANT, not HAVE. I want a lot of things that my lifestyle doesn’t allow for, but that doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to want them, and wanting them doesn’t make someone pretentious or privileged.

  • http://www.facebook.com/brandonwhumphries Brandon Humphries

    I like being alone on Friday nights. Not EVERY Friday night mind you, but to be busy every Friday for the rest of my life? That would suuuuuuck.

  • H

    I want a turtle. Is that an unusual pet?

  • Jeannie

    Is thoughtcatalog going for the world record for number of “arbitrary lists that generalize twenty-somethings” published? Because I think that was broken a long time ago. Can we please see some variety?

  • BKS

    Im pretty sure this is the OPPOSITE of what twenty-somethings want.

  • Sedona

    i don’t know why people are scoffing at harmless daydreaming. (i have fantasized about all of these specific things to be honest but that is beside my point.) wanting a future of security and fulfillment and love and curiosity quenched is something i believed to be universal. please just let the author have her dreams and be content with your own.

  • Ray

    All I want is a job

    • Sage

      word.

  • http://properblog.tumblr.com Jennifer

    Although I can definitely relate to this list, and I’m 21, it wasn’t really interesting or well written. Sorry

  • God

    Please, try harder. Much harder.

  • http://chamblee54.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/desktop-cleanup/ Desktop Cleanup « Chamblee54

    [...] Catalog. TC is another good use of spare time. The current offerings on the home page include 6 Things 20-Somethings Want, What Game Of Thrones Characters Would Tweet, If They Had Twitter, 4 Grooming Habits That Men Are [...]

  • Andrew

    Meanwhile, there are much more important things happening throughout the world…

  • Hobo Brown

    What a bunch of judgmental Judy’s we have over here.

  • SP

    This is lovely. The list is merely illustrative of things 20 somethings want and not meant to be read literally as exhaustive or definitive. It’s a metaphor for being passionate, eclectic and ambitious in your 20s, regardless of how you customize your own list.

  • Jayf

    I liked a majority of the list but the most fashionable in the office line grossed me out. The idea of working in an office makes my skin crawl. I’m grateful I don’t have to do that.

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