What have you achieved that is unusual for your peer group?

[DeNiroDeFaro]

Not a journo, just practising for some grad scheme tests and I've not done anything! Have you?

Never smoked weed or taken any illegal drugs.
I was at university in the nineties where everyone and their dog had tried illegal drugs. Just didn’t appeal to me.

Failure

Survived my daughter dying
Paid off my mortgage at 35
I was on ethnic minorities and also women committees at regional level for NALGO then UNISON
Given talks in front of up to 600 people
Set up a food bank in my town with assistance but it was my idea about 13 years ago, it’s fed a few thousand people
Won a regional nursing award

Lived overseas long enough to have children and buy property. All my friends did a 1-3 year stint abroad in their 20s (NYC, London, Vancouver etc.) but all moved back home when it was baby time. I was the only one who stayed abroad.

I like this thread! I was thinking I hadn’t done much but actually I bought a property without parental help and have never taken any illegal drugs. So I feel proud of those.

My career is nothing special, although weirdly some people seem quite impressed by it (lived abroad etc). But I’ve always hated it so don’t see it as an achievement.

I’m also younger than most of the mums at my DC’s school, does that count??

Downward mobility

I have a Wiki page (with a photo), or perhaps it's more accurate to say that there is a Wiki page about me.

Passed my driving test last year at the age of 52.

Also got married for the first (and last) time last year, also aged 52 (obviously!).

2022 was definitely my year 🙂

Wrote and published a book.

Bit of a weird “achievement” but I was widowed at 36 and have a) survived and b) solo parented my kid ever since.

Run a marathon or three

Paid our mortgage off when I was 32, sadly it took the loss of a parent to put us in that position.

When I was 27 I took on a voluntary role at a charity that was in debt and looking at closure, worked tirelessly with a 2 yo and newborn to turn things around and now it's one of the largest charities of its type in our area. Looks like some of the government's new policies may see its closure sadly though. I am still working with them 15 years on alongside my normal job. When I interviewed for my last role the interviewers spent more time asking me about that than the actual role I went for. It was something that actually helped me get my promotion even though it had nothing to do with my job at all.

Nothing, I'd be considered the failure I'm sure. Got a 2:2 at Uni, worked in social housing for a decade, left as DS was a poorly baby who needed additional care and he's now 7, have twins now too and I still don't work. So WC SAHP to a DH earning average wage with three kids. Only thing of note about me is my volunteer work which I've had to cut back on since the twins altho I'm still involved on the leadership team.

Fostered several children and moved them on successfully, still fostering at the grand old age of (almost) 60.

Nothing I know to many very successful people. I don't have a Wikipedia page dedicated to me , I'm not a millionaire, famous or perfect. Thus I'm normal , boring and average, I breastfed forever but I bet I probably know someone who breastfed to teenage years so nothing dull like that would cut it. Obviously I need to go and find new friends so I look a bit better in comparison 😏

Climbed active volcanoes
Dived with humpback whale
Seen grizzly bears in the wild

Buried both my parents :-(

(who were alive to see me do the above)

Took up Taekwondo at 45 and got my blackbelt at 48.. the oldest woman in the club by quite a bit!

That's it.. my peers all have better careers (I had 4 kids, inc one with special needs and have done a ' be home for the children ' job forever) fancier homes and a way better pension...

But I can pack a punch and break boards

Same, was 33 though. Didn't even tell parents. But ten years later I've taken on another one!

(no inheritance or any parental involvement in mine)

Lived further than 2 miles from where I grew up (I moved countries twice)

Think my DH is brilliant. Most of my friends bitch and moan about their husbands and not in a light hearted way. I don't get it, if it's that awful then what's the point?

Ran the marathon de sables. Mind you every fucker’s done that now but back then it was quite rare. Minimal info online and you had to find out about kit from finding and stalking previous participants. Actually did quite well- came 33 out of 96 women- 66 finishers.

@DeNiroDeFaro What do you mean by 'peer group'? I'm not sure I even have one.

Found my soul mate.

Planned.
Once had a pink kitchen.

Didn’t have kids.
Never married.
Buried a parent before 25.

Started first business aged 10

lived in 6 countries between the age of 18 and 21

Started third business at 21

Won significant award for business by 24

Home owner by 25

28 and back to square 1 but have home