Hold your questions until the end, please. I already know what you're thinking.
"Kayci, what on Earth is this title insinuating? Do you find a boy in a cake? Does someone eat cake off of you?"
First things first, if you're mind is drifting off to any place that isn't innocent, FIX THAT FAST.
My piece for the week is titled Boys & Cake because all I honestly cared about when I turned 20 was boys and cake. I mean, picture it. It's my 20th birthday, I'm still in college, I'm single and I am denying the title of "adult" as much as I can.
Being 20 was about wanting to feel all the perks and plusses of being grown but pushing all the responsibility of it as far away as humanly possible. Because at this point all I've been used to was school and who I was crushing on at the moment. There was simply no room to panic about future taxes or any other adult crap. I still considered myself a kid and I hoped to keep it like that forever.
The summer of my entrance into the 20s, I was lucky enough to have a study abroad experience set up. I was off to South Korea, I was going to be an English Teacher, I was going to learn and study the Korean Language. Folks, I was basically off to live my dream life for the summer. And, I had a plan of action.
My plan for the summer was basically to live a Korean Drama, you know, because that's exactly how the real world works... Can you hear my sarcasm?
I kept telling myself I was going to find the Korean Man of my dreams. And, if you really think about it, the timing of my plan (if it was realistic) was perfect. Like I said, I was still in college. If I'd found a Rich Korean Man to marry at that point in my life, I would be set for the rest of my life. His money would take care of me and I wouldn't have to work a day in my life. I could quite literally live in the mindset of a kid for the rest of my life and in one of my favorite countries, no less. It was the perfect plan... if only it was realistic.
I'm not saying my study abroad experience was wack, I'm just saying I came and went single. In retrospect, that ain't a big deal but for my 20-year-old-boy-obssessed-mindset... it kind of was.
I had a blast in South Korea, though. I made good friends and fell in love with the people of the country. I did kind of experience a mini-romance, if you will. I fell head-over-heels in love with the cashier from 7/11. Laugh all you want, he was hot.
I wrote this 7/11 cashier a love letter and had my friend translate it to Korean for me. I slid it over to him one day after buying my insta-dumplings and said it was a little gift from me to him. At which point, he looked at me like this:
The poor boy was so confused. He was probably wondering why a random foreigner was giving him secret letters. Maybe he thought I was an American Spy or something? Haha, maybe he felt like he was living out an American kind of fantasy. The world will never know.
At the end of the letter I wrote to Won-Jo (7/11 boy), I basically left my number and said he should reach out. HE DID. We went to go eat ice cream together and I was really practicing my Korean to fill the gaps of awkward silence since his English wasn't all that stellar. It took a couple minutes but eventually we were comfortable around each other and had some riveting discussions about the differences in our cultures. Here's a picture of us ~
Won-Jo and I ended up just being friends. It just made more sense that way since I only had like two more weeks left living in Korea. We kept in touch for a while once I was back in the states but eventually we stopped talking. Long-Distance anything is hard, that's the takeaway. Last time I checked up on his status, Won-Jo was in a relationship with a beautiful Korean girl. Good for him! I'm happy for you, Won-Jo <3
The point of sharing my mini-rom-com-moment? The purpose of letting you in on how focused I was on wanting to stay a responsibility-free kid? Well, it's to prove a point. And, that point is how completely different my mindset is at the current moment.
If I was allowed to travel again, I wouldn't waste time desperately searching for the one. I would cherish the wind as it glides past me appreciating every sight I take in. I would twirl around in circles happy that I'm in the best company I could ask for (i.e. myself). Life is too short to spend it focusing on finding someone to complete you when you're already complete on your own. Focus on being the best version of yourself and the rest will eventually fall into place.
When you're in your 20s, the key is to live your life as if everyday is the beginning of a brand new movie (that you've never seen the trailer for). The idea is that you have no idea where the heck you're going but you know damn well that it'll be a ride.
So far, if you're paying attention, this is what you should have learned about the turbulent 20s:
Accept the fact that it won't be like anything you've ever seen in the movies or in the TV Shows.
Although stressful and confusing as hell, it just might be better than anything you've seen in the movies or on TV.
Let's add to that list:
You will change and grow drastically from month to month. Your views on the world will continuously shift and change. Your dreams will be so much clearer yet differ extremely from those you had when you walked into your 20s.
Your 20s are the years that most shape you as a human being. The tales you accumulate in your 20s will most likely be the things you tell younger generations to guide them in the right directions.
Well, that's all for today! I hope you're keeping track of all these tips, tricks, and tools to survive your 20s. If not....
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