Just because you're no longer in school doesn't mean you've got it all figured out.
You've still got plenty of important skills left to learn — but now you're on your own.
To help you navigate this confusing time, we reviewed several Quora
threads on
helpful skills and ways to
spend time in your 20s and highlighted the most useful insights.
Here are the life skills every 20-something should master.
1. How to just be honest
When you're late to an appointment, it's tempting to pin the blame on gridlock or train delays.
Instead,
says Quora
user Michael Hoffman, "just apologize. You don't have to give details.
'I planned poorly' is a hundred times better than risking your integrity
by inanely blaming traffic."
2. How to receive criticism
No one likes to be told they're wrong or even that they could be doing something more effectively. As Abhinav Gupta
writes, it's easy to resent the person critiquing you or completely ignore them.
Nonetheless, Gupta says, "in order to succeed in life you should
always accept criticism and always respond positively to it and never
think ill of people who point out your mistakes."
3. How to start an interesting conversation
"Conversation-making is probably the most underrated skill,"
says Deepak Mehta, who admits that he's a shy person who's always found it difficult.
But experience has taught him that if you dare to strike up a
discussion with the person next to you, you might very well end up with a
new friend, a business connection, or some novel insights on an old
topic.
4. How to ask for something you want
"The ability to ask is the easiest, most underutilized skill to catapult your career,"
writes an anonymous user.
But if you don't muster up the courage to request a raise, a
promotion, or a bigger sales deal, you have no chance of getting it.
If the thought of requesting what you want makes you anxious, the
user suggests practicing in non-work-related contexts. For example, you
could ask a vendor at a farmer's market for a lower price on your
vegetables.
"The more you put yourself in uncomfortable situations," the user
writes, "the more likely you'll decide they're not that uncomfortable
after all."
5. How to keep your promises
Maybe you told a friend you'd show up to his birthday party, or maybe
you agreed to finish an extra assignment for your boss. Whatever the
situation, you should make good on your word.
"Break [your promise] and people lose trust and faith in you, which, over time, is very hard to mend," Hoffman
says.
6. How to communicate effectively
No matter your career field, you can always improve the way you speak and write.
"Think about ways to challenge yourself and tweak how you write an email or behave in a meeting," the anonymous user
suggests.
Here's an example: "During your next team meeting, resist talking
about your idea or opinion right off the bat. Instead, count to five,
and if you still feel like you have something relevant to contribute,
speak up. On the flip side, if you're shy, challenge yourself to say
what you're thinking, instead of remaining silent."
7. How to be resilient
The rest of your life is bound to include setbacks, sadness, and frustration (in addition to joy and excitement!). Carolyn Cho
says you should use your early adulthood to figure out how to recover from mishaps:
"Your 20s [are] a time when most are relatively free of the
responsibilities that will increase into your 30s and 40s. This is a
great time to experiment, fail, and bounce back. Learn how to ride out
failure and persevere.
Life is full of challenges. The 20s are a great time to toughen up
and start teaching yourself how to be emotionally and mentally resilient
enough to weather both the joys and hardships to come."
8. How to demonstrate good table manners
"A lot of interviews take place over meals,"
writes Drew Pavilonis.
"Chewing loudly, or eating with your mouth open, licking fingers and
utensils (yes, I've seen it), elbows on the table, just shows a lack of
manners and social skills."
9. How to manage your anger
Syed Muswair Abbas Rizvi argues that you can channel your rage and
frustration in positive directions instead of lashing out at the people
around you. For example, research suggests that anger can stimulate
creativity, at least temporarily.
"Your anger can empower you to do the unthinkable and unimaginable
things, if you just learn the art to master and manage your anger."
10. How to live within your means
Cho
advises young adults to think carefully about all their expenditures:
"Luxuries are a wonderful thing only if you can truly afford them.
Don't be a slave to funding a lifestyle that will not last. Learn to
live modestly and save up, and then you will have earned the right to
purchase yourself some treats, in moderation."
11. How to deal with rejection
Many people use their 20s to try new experiences, jobs, and romantic
partners. Some of those attempts will work out, and some won't.
According to Joe Choi,
it's a good opportunity to learn how to deal with rejection, whether
it's from a dream employer or a date: "It's a tough pill to swallow but
realize that rejection is quite normal. It's hardly ever personal and
most importantly it's not the end of the world. Don't dwell on it. Kep
your head high and keep trucking along."
12. How to learn without a textbook
Studying should not be limited to your time in school. It "can be anywhere, anytime, and with anyone," writes
Lenny Kho. "Keep your mind wide open."
You should always be seeking out new ways to expand your mind.
Read books, practice speaking
foreign languages, or take music lessons — whatever excites you most.
13. How to accept the possibility of change
Research by psychologist Dan Gilbert suggests that we have a hard time imagining how much we'll change in the future.
So it makes sense that
Choi says, "It's near impossible to plan where you'll be a few years from now."
Choi uses his own trajectory as an example. During college he studied
engineering, and he never imagined he'd move to rural Eastern Europe to
harvest corn afterward — but he did. While living in Europe, he never
thought he'd later move to a fancy building in New York City — but
that's exactly what happened.
Expect to be surprised (hopefully pleasantly) by the way your life unfolds.
14. How to be patient
There's no question that it's important to be ambitious and to work
hard to achieve your goals — whether they include landing a spot in the
C-suite or buying a house.
But try not to get frustrated if, at 25, you still haven't scored a promotion or saved up enough for a down payment.
Take a tip from Steve Kobrin: "Good things simply do not happen
overnight. They take time to nurture and cultivate. They take a lot of
work. A lot of thought. A lot of trial and error, and learning from your
mistakes."
