to ask you what you were doing at 24?

[jewelledpineapples1]

I've just turned 24 and my future seems so uncertain. I thought by this age I would have more of a career plan.

If you don't mind sharing, what were you at 24 and how different is that to where you are now?

I was in Vietnam, in my second year of running my NGO. I have special needs, and I remember it was a very very difficult time. I arrived in Vietnam as a 23-year-old, very naïve, not knowing the language, not knowing anyone, and I’m still out at 13 years later, although I thought a couple of months ago I wanted to quit. It has taken up most of my adult life. And I’ve had some of the best moments, but also some of the hardest. I have become a very tough person though.

Working in AE in a busy Sydney teaching hospital and partying a lot !!

Had my first child 2 weeks before my 24th birthday. Was married 2 years by then and 3 years into a mortgage.

Married, had my own house (bought it myself before meeting dh), had a baby, had an ok paid job but was bored and went back to uni the following year to do a second, more vocational degree which led to a better career.

I was starting out at the lowest rung (secretary) in the career I am still in 24 years later.

But after a bit of being a crap secretary I realised I needed training in the field so I quit my job, went and got the training, then rejoined the profession and worked my way up.

I was also a massive boozer and getting off with various unsuitable (but fun!) men.

At 24 you have all the time in the world. Please don't worry. Take your time to work out what you enjoy/are good at and WHAT MAKES MONEY

I was 24 when my dad died so a tough year. I had recently bought a house with my fiancé - it didn’t last. We overspent buying everything on credit. It took me a few years to sort my finances out. I was studying Business and Finance and I was working as a clerical assistant for the council having started there at 16 straight from school.

I am now 47. I am separated from my husband and have a 13 yo. I work as a legal executive and have the qualifications to go with it which I did by correspondence course taking a few years. I have a house and earn enough to manage (without any maintenance from STBXH). I moved to legal after doing A level law at evening class when I was 27 initially in an admin job and then I studied and worked my way up. At 24, I had no plan. No idea I would end up where I am. I love my job. You have loads of time OP.

I had a two year old, living with but not married to partner (we're married now), three years in to a mortgage in Watford. Not sure how we ended up there for a few years as we had no connection to the place. Lots of changes and moves in the 25 years since then

I was at the start of my career - although I'm doing a different job its a job I couldn't do now without all the experience I had gained when I was young.

I was also planning my wedding. I rushed and although I'm mostly happy I do wish for a different marriage and wonder what would be had I not rushed marriage/buying a house in my relationship.

University drop out living in a bedsit doing a job beneath my abilities. About to get pregnant by an unsuitable man which caused me to get my act together and go back to university to get a good job and give my baby a better life.

At 24 I'd gotten married, and moved in with DH halfway across country and was struggling to work out what to do with my life after a miscarriage and finding myself living somewhere where continuing my career was impossible. I picked up some volunteer work, worked for a charity for a bit (which was utterly shit and I was glad to be made redundant last year).

I'm grateful for that year. It was the first time I'd ever really had to work out who I was and what I wanted from life.

Started university at 24, my daughter was 4.

Living a very good life. I went on a lot of holidays around that age, partied a lot, did a lot of things I couldn't do now with a mortgage and children.

I regret the amount of money I frittered away though.

I’d just come back from a year living and working abroad and was studying my post graduate degree and working part time whilst living with my parents.

I was working in a bar in the north of Scotland then I moved to Holland. lived in a tent and earned money picking tomatoes and washing up in a beach bar. I then went travelling and didn’t come back for 5 years! Lots of dalliances, lots of good times.

I was a trainee solicitor living in a rented house with my DP.

It took me time to decide though. I tempted and briefly worked in pensions administration after my degree.

Just bought our house with dp(as he was then). Working in a place I'd be for the next 9 years. Quite content.

Freshly married, renting a house, working in my first post-uni job (miraculously actually in my field, although I had no plans whatsoever). We were already trying for kids and looking into our first IVF back then, although that took a few more years to happen, and kids never did.

Honestly, my life has never really agreed to follow my best laid plans. Illnesses and unexpected events have always screwed things up or changed all the plans, so I wouldn't worry too much about any detailed plans.

I was in my first year of teaching after having finished uni, been with my boyfriend for 3 years and we'd bought a house two years before. So working pretty hard at my career and doing a house up.

I had just qualified as a drama teacher and I did really love my job and the people I worked with. It was fun.

I lived at home with my mum and dad.

I was single and had been for about three years.

I met my Dh at 25 and got married at 29. ( I didn’t move out of home until I got married. Living at home was like living on my own/lodging because I had my own bit of the house, did my own washing and cooking).

I wish I had travelled more before I had children. However comparing is pointless. You must list what you love, what you want, and do those things.

24 is such a great age!

Such a happy time in my life. I lived with s bunch of friends from college (teachers) . We were going "out out" few nights a week, travelling for every school break (Australia, se Asia, America in one year) and having great craic.
Met DH at 25 (had never even been on a date previously) and that bunch of friends are all sensible mammies now , 15 years later we were zooming last night reminiscing.

Working in banking
Drinking way too much
Working long hours and studying for professional qualifications
Bought my first flat with the delights of a mortgage subsidy.

Couple of years later I decided I hated banking, & left just before mortgage rates shot up to around 18%.

I was managing a nightclub and running a pub.
Now I'm a single parent and when in work I'm a cook (lost my job while pregnant.)

Living in a shared house going out lots, saving to spend a year in Australia. Wouldn’t change a thing.

I am 24! 😁I finished university early with 2 degrees, I am engaged and just coming to the end of a 3 year renovation project on my first house. I am heavily pregnant and due in May, I work full time in data for a government body.

At 24 I was in a career that I had fallen into, and had started a relationship with what I thought was 'the one', turns out she was a liar and a cheat.

I don't think that many people have a life plan figured out at 24, or are making the 'right' decisions all the time.