No doubt the most defining decade of our entire lives, our 20s are filled with drama, boredom, adjustments and a whole lot of figuring shit out. It’s no wonder we enter them as one person and leave them as an entirely different one.

It’s normal to feel like you want to skip this whole confusing period and go straight to your 30s (like Jennifer Garner in Suddenly 30). But there’s loads of advantages to being as young and worried as we are.

#1 You Have A History Of Things Working Out

Making decisions about what you want to do for work, who you want to date and how much you can afford to spend on food this week is big. But as every law kid already knows, precedence exists for a reason. There’s prior evidence that you can make shit work. You can pass your HSC. You can get into uni. You can pull in passes, credits and HDs. You haven’t starved (yet).

Think about all the ways you’ve already killed it and you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll happen again.

#2 It’s Not As Bad As Everyone Says

We go on and on about the dilemma of our 20s but it’s really not that bad. In this decade, we have more options and opportunities than we ever will. They’ll honestly fall right into your lap if you’re open to them and willing to work hard.

#3 You Have An Amazing Support Network

You’ll never be as social as you are in your 20s. People inevitably drop out of friendship groups, move interstate or lose contact with you. It’s pretty darn cool to live it up with them while you can, and if anything goes wrong, you know they have your back.

#4 People Would Kill To Be 20 Again

Ever hear your stepdad wistfully talk about his glory days? Your glory days are right now! Yes, it can be stressful, but nothing good comes out of non-stop fun – you have to have the pain to get the pleasure.

Don’t forget how lucky you are to be young and flexible. Make stories you’ll tell your future children (or stepchildren) about.

#5 Your Hangovers Aren’t As Bad Yet

Um, this one’s a biggie. Past the age of 25, hangovers turn from a funny inconvenience into a life-shuttering disaster. Seriously: you won’t be able to get anything done after you’ve had a couple.

There’s way less consequences for a big night out when you’re as young as we are. So honestly, order that extra beer, get a little crunk and order an Uber home at 5am. This is express permission.

#6 You Have The Energy To Rip It Up At The Gym

Your body is in the tippiest top condition right now. Give it 20 more years and you’ll have knee problems, back problems, hair problems: you name it.

Go to the gym, exercise as much as you can, get really good at yoga and you’ll see results by the time you leave the parking lot. That’s something only a 21-year-old can boast about.

#7 You Have Access To So Much Info

This is a blessing and a curse, tbh, but because this is a ~positive~ article, we’ll focus on the blessing side of things. We have the internet! We literally grew up with it. We have so much knowledge sloshing around in our heads just from picking up our phones and looking at them. This is an advantage that no other generation before us has had.

So while the world might be different now, you’re more well-equipped for it than anyone. The innovate new jobs and social media marketers are all stuff you instinctively know. Nice, right?

#8 Our Haircut Is Much Better Now

Remember that wispy fringe you had in high school? Dear LORD. Take solace in the fact that that shit ain’t ever coming back.