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Original poster

If you could 'start again' at 25, what would you do?

24 replies

feelingsomewhatlost · 27/06/2020 18:57

I'm going through a bit of a bleak time but trying to see this as an exciting new opportunity. If you had:

No job
No relationship
No financial commitments
No real reason to stay where you currently live

Where would you go and what would you do? If lockdown wasn't happening, that is!

OP posts:

teaflake · 27/06/2020 19:04

Work out what I wanted from life and write a plan to get it.

I'd also use that life grid thing - don't know what it's called - and get something going for all boxes. Try to make a fuller, more rounded life.

Lonoxo · 27/06/2020 19:05

Under 30, you qualify for a young person working visa so I would do that for a year. The time was never right for me.

Other things I would do:
Buy a studio flat just to get on the property ladder instead of being persuaded to try to buy a 2-bed flat. The market was crazy but I could easily afford a studio.

Not be tied to relationship with needy boyfriend who was constantly putting pressure on me to put the relationship first. Your 20s are the time to discover you, pursue your passions and explore opportunities. Plenty of time later in life to compromise.

NothingIsWrong · 27/06/2020 19:07

I'd go back to studying and do dressmaking

CloudsCanLookLikeSheep · 27/06/2020 19:10

I'd take my career more seriously. Now after having kids , I'm stuck in a rut thinking of what could have been...

quarentini · 27/06/2020 19:16

I would study art history and then try and get a job abroad for a few years.

I obviously didn't do this as I had two under 5s and that was that 😀

IdblowJonSnow · 27/06/2020 19:19

Go travelling although perhaps not right now!
Are you ok financially for a while?
I know you wont feel young but honestly you are so young so go for what you want to do, not what you think you should do.

Soreeye · 27/06/2020 19:21

I’d definitely go travelling alone.

Spied · 27/06/2020 19:24

I'd choose a different degree and go to Uni all over again. A degree that actually qualifies me to do something and get a good career.
I'd also make an effort to make friends.

mindutopia · 27/06/2020 20:51

Gosh, at 25, I hadn't even started yet, let alone starting again. What I did do around that age was move to a big city and live it up (i.e. London or abroad if you can). I moved to New York in my early ish 20s. It was amazing. One of the best decisions I made. I had the time of my life. In my late 20s, I had a few opportunities there fall through, a relationship break up, etc. and I moved to Asia for a year.

It was absolutely wonderful. I worked there, travelled, partied and met dh. We eventually moved home and got married and settled down. But it was a fantastic few years.

25 is literally just the start of your life. Move to a big city or go off travelling or take a job abroad. That's what I'd do.

Esbm2015 · 27/06/2020 21:38

Definitely agree with all the above. If I was 25 again I would have dumped boyfriend of the time sooner who kept me down and definitely used my 20s to have more fun, free and travel more and perhaps live abroad for a bit. So much time in life to settle down but we all still seem to think we must have achieved everything by the time we’re 30. I recently watched Eat, Pray, Love and would love to have the resources to do such a trip to really live for me.

reinacorriendo · 27/06/2020 21:52

Go and work in Spain and marry a Spanish policeman

Maybe had studied more, got a different job, got on property ladder sooner.

20mum · 27/06/2020 21:53

By hook or crook go to Australia , (but then, I fell in love with the place, you might not)

Original poster

feelingsomewhatlost · 27/06/2020 22:57

Wow, everyone's comments are so different but it's interesting how much focus there is on careers/travel. Just lost my job and the house I shared with my ex, so if it wasn't for lockdown I think I'd be getting straight on a plane and going travelling. We only went abroad once in 4 years!

I'm starting to look at changing careers and potentially moving to a city which would be a nice change from the village I lived in before :) thank you to the people who reminded me I'm still young, I feel like I've had the rug pulled from under me but at the same time it's a relief to know my entire life isn't already planned out for me.

OP posts:

AlecOrAlonzo · 27/06/2020 23:04

Get a job abroad. I always meant to and just kept putting shitty boyfriends and getting on the property ladder first. Idiot me!

Viragoesque · 27/06/2020 23:06

What else did you think people were going to suggest to a young, single, free person with no financial or geographical ties if not career or travel, OP?

What do you want to do, OP? Because whether it’s frivolous or starting to chip away at a long held ambition, you’re in a great position to pursue it.

Hamsterriffic · 27/06/2020 23:07

Go to uni and get stuck in to something interesting!

DDIJ · 27/06/2020 23:11

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

bookmum08 · 27/06/2020 23:16

If I had no financial commitments (rent, bills,etc) and a big pile of money in the bank I would maybe at 25 gone back to college and studied design. Although I wasn't really aware at 25 that design was something I would have liked to have done. I realise it now at 45 !!
To be honest at 25 I desperately wanted to be in a relationship and starting a family (the relationship happened a few years later - baby came at 33).
You really need to decide what is important to you.
Mumsnet always seems obsessed with 'travel' but that has never appealed to me personally.

SeaOtterFluff · 27/06/2020 23:17

Honestly? I'd stick with one child (had DD1 at 22), ditch DH and move back to my home town to be near my family. I'd get cracking on my career, focus on saving some cash and get on the property ladder. I'd have holidays abroad, make use of my language skills and invest in some strong friendships.
I was 25 nearly 20 years ago so it's not going to happen! I don't actually regret having 3 children and sticking with DH but I often suspect life could've been much better.

BillyAndTheSillies · 27/06/2020 23:19

I'd travel the world, come home and study the qualification I've just completed at 32.

If I'd have started this career at 25 I'd be really settled by now, would have worked my way up and been in a position to start requesting flexi time.

In reality, I have two DC, one about to start school and probably won't realistically be able to find a job that fits around that.

BigusBumus · 27/06/2020 23:24

I spent my 25th year living and working in Australia. I rented a flat in a nice bit of Sydney and worked in the CBD as a temp secretary, saving most of my money to then travel as a backpacker before coming back to my flat to work and earn more again. It was great and looked good on my CV. It then gave me the confidence to move to London and pursue a job I really wanted (through temping again and getting offered a permanent job in the post I was temping for).

Ultimately though, I've gone back to my small rural hometown to raise my kids and have a different career entirely.

But travel and the live in a big city. Don't stay in the tiny lace you grew up.

Lurchermom · 27/06/2020 23:24

I'd definitely go abroad (ignoring current circumstances!) I left uni and moved straight in with my partner who had a fixed job (military) and bought a house and got a job in quick succession. Really wish we had been able to throw everything to the wind and travel and work abroad for a while. Biggest regret! If you can spend a year away I think it will change your life!

Newbiehere123 · 27/06/2020 23:35

If I started again at 25, I would-

study a new degree( a course that would bring better job prospects)
wouldn't rush into any relationship, in fact with my mind now at 33, I would avoid all the losers that I have dated during those years.
I had my dc when I was 32 so I think at 25, I would have wanted to delay that a couple of more years if I was going to still end up with my husband when I got married at 31.
I would try to find a job abroad and try a bit harder to get out of my comfort zone
wouldn't have accepted any of the jobs I have worked for- all waste of time
try to live life full

Years go quicker when you end up in your twenties and by the time you stop to take a breath, you are in your 30's. So enjoy them while you can and never settle for anything that is less than you. Aim for better.

BobbinThreadbare123 · 27/06/2020 23:37

I was quite happy to be finishing off a PhD at 25 but I really wish I'd taken some advice about a career after that (not that there was any advice available really!). I did something boring which led to a change a few years later, one I wish I hadn't bothered with. I wish I'd ditched XH when we finished undergrad so then I could have moved, done some travelling and lived how I wanted to live. However, I am happy now so I guess my path led me to a decent place!

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