18 Reasons You Should Look Forward to Turning 30

I always thought my 20s would be my favorite decade, but as I climb toward 30, life just seems to keep getting better. Maybe it's because I've stopped worrying about all the little things that I can't change, or maybe it's because I've finally (kind of?) got some of my sh*t together. Either way, here's why we should all be looking forward to our 30s:

  1. You know how you were faking it hoping to make it? Well, it's finally a reality. At some point, maybe when you're training the interns or new hires, you realize that you actually know what you're talking about. You paid your dues, and it has paid off.
  2. A treat is actually a treat, so you savor it more. For example, a giant pastry or piece of cake is something you'll treat yourself with and not something you'll eat for breakfast.
  3. You have fewer friends because you've started getting rid of your acquaintances and dropping toxic people in your life, so the ones who are still around are definitely quality.
  4. You (might) actually know how to cook yourself a decent meal. You've finally figured out that cooking can save you a lot of money and it's even a little therapeutic.
  5. You actually relate to your parents a little bit. And maybe people saying you're turning into your mom will even feel like a compliment.
  6. You're the most creative you've ever been. Many scientists have their biggest breakthroughs in their late 30s, and that may be the case for you.
  7. Your "assh*le" radar is nothing to joke about. You can see bad friendships and relationships from a mile away now.
  8. Things that made you cringe in the past are funny now. Those moments that made you want to literally disappear into a hole in the ground are now stories that you laugh with your friends about.
  9. Your apartment feels like a home and not a dorm room or frat house.
  10. You actually remember the fun times now because a lot of them (or at least some of them) are done sober — they are not vague memories you struggle to remember through an alcohol haze.
  11. Comfort is your top concern now, and your body and wallet will thank you. No more following trends that don't last beyond a season.
  12. You don't take life for granted. That's because by this point you've probably experienced some hard times — and they are what make us really appreciate what we have.
  13. You worry less about small things. At this age, you know better, and you've probably experienced the gamut of freakouts.
  14. You know what you want. You may have taken some wrong turns to finally get it right, but that makes the journey all the more sweet.
  15. You actually have the money to spend on real adult stuff like a 401(k).
  16. The phrase "this too shall pass" will resonate with you more than ever. You have more faith that bad times will pass, because you've seen it happen before.
  17. You feel some effects of aging, which will motivate you to eat healthy and exercise. And the good thing is, a lot of your fellow 30-something friends are right there with you.
  18. All the crap you went through in your 20s? You'll finally reap the benefits of the bad experiences in your 30s. Because now that you've been through all of that, you'll probably have better judgment of avoiding those situations in your 30s. In the words of Maya Angelou, "When you know better, you do better."