Over winter break, I read the book “The Defining Decade: Why your twenties matter- and how to make the most of them now.” I was skeptical of reading it at first because I am not one to read these types of books. However, I figured I had nothing to lose and only insight to gain. It was split into three segments; work, love and the brain and the body. It was well worth it and I think about the different stories described in it constantly now and how it applies to my own life.

The book serves as a serious motivator and really explains why the twenties are such a critical time period. With longer lifespans now, many think that they can put off making certain decisions regarding their life and wait until the thirties- but this isn’t the case at all. This is a time period where we need to be proactive and not get boggled down by procrastination.

I realized I had already a few of both the positive and negative tendencies discussed in the book, but being able to read why I acted a certain way or really understand some of the concepts was very interesting. In regards to work life, the author makes note of stepping outside of your immediate circle and make connections with ‘weaker ties,’ since they ultimately can be the catalyst to propel your career forward. In this instant I identified that I had done that and that helped me to the career I will be starting in July. Other instances in the book discussed love theories that were very insightful for me and will help me as I continue to make those decisions as well.

The last segment held some incredible information I was not aware of either. For example, the author talked about how our twenties are the second critical period of growth for our developing brain. Our brain is making all of these new neuron connections that if we don’t use- we lose. It is the second and last time where learning a new language, etc. is at its easiest for us. These are just a few examples discussed in the book and I really cannot do it enough justice. I highly recommend it for everyone especially at this paramount age where we sometimes feel so stressed out because we can’t all help but wonder- will we make it? And the answer is of course we will- as long as we are proactive about it.