Your 20s are a scam—one you didn’t sign up for, yet somehow, you’re still getting charged.
They tell you these are the best years of your life. A decade of freedom, adventure, and finding yourself. Lies. Your 20s are actually an overpriced crash course in financial survival, emotional whiplash, and eating cereal for dinner.
The good news? Your 30s are the refund. That’s when life finally stops overcharging you for experiences you never asked for, and you start getting something back.
Why Your 20s Are a Scam (And What No One Told You)
1. The “Figure It Out” Hoax
They say your 20s are about “finding yourself.” What they don’t mention is that self-discovery comes with hidden fees.
By the time you turn 25, you’re expected to have a career plan, a retirement fund, and a skincare routine that prevents aging. Meanwhile, reality looks more like:
☑️ Working jobs that pay in “experience” instead of money
☑️ Dating people whose biggest commitment is their Netflix subscription
☑️ Trying to appear stable while internally screaming
Here’s the truth: Most people don’t figure out anything in their 20s. They just get better at pretending they have.
2. The Hustle Culture Scam
“Work twice as hard while you’re young,” they say. “Grind now, enjoy later.”
Except, later never comes.
Employers love 20-somethings because you’ll work overtime for exposure and unpaid coffee runs. You’ll be sold on “paying your dues”, only to realize that dues never stop—they just get more expensive.
Meanwhile, someone at the top is making real money while you’re surviving on caffeine and delusion. The real scam? Thinking struggle is a requirement for success.
3. Social Media’s Greatest Trick: The Comparison Trap
Instagram makes it seem like everyone in their 20s is either:
a) Traveling the world on an unlimited budget
b) Running a six-figure business from their laptop
c) Engaged to someone who somehow also meal preps gourmet dinners
Meanwhile, you’re out here proud of yourself for remembering to buy toilet paper before running out.
Social media is a highlight reel. That 23-year-old entrepreneur? Probably living off investor money. That couple? Arguing about whose turn it is to do dishes. Your 20s aren’t for winning—they’re for figuring out how not to lose.
4. Dating in Your 20s: A Choose-Your-Own Disaster
Your 20s are the era of questionable relationship choices.
You date emotionally unavailable people because “they just need time,” when in reality, they just don’t like you enough to commit.
You tolerate red flags because you think “they’ll change.” Spoiler: No, they need therapy.
At some point, you realize love isn’t a magical movie moment—it’s just two people who actually like each other and communicate like adults. But first, you have to endure the highlight reel of chaotic situationships.
Your 30s: The Refund for the Scam of Your 20s
Your 30s are when life finally says, “Hey, my bad about all that.” Here’s why it gets better:
1. You Stop Caring About the Wrong Things
In your 20s, you worry about what people think. By your 30s, you realize most people are too busy with their own problems to care about yours.
You trade FOMO (fear of missing out) for JOMO (joy of missing out). Missing a party? Fantastic. More time for sleep, peace, and people who actually matter.
2. You Start Making (and Keeping) Money
Gone are the days of living paycheck to paycheck because you said yes to an unpaid opportunity that “might lead to something.”
Your 20s were about affording happy hour. Your 30s? You’re ordering the damn steak.
3. You Upgrade Your Relationships
Friendships in your 20s are about quantity—big group chats, Friday nights out, keeping up with everyone.
Your 30s? Quality over everything.
- You cut off energy vampires.
- You stop trying to fix people.
- You surround yourself with people who actually make you feel good.
And when it comes to dating? You stop romanticizing people who treat you like an option.
No more waiting hours for a text back. No more excuses. Just peace.
4. You Finally Enjoy Life—On Your Own Terms
Your 20s are about survival. Your 30s are about thriving.
You stop chasing happiness as a goal and start seeing it as a side effect of a life well-lived.
You’re not out here trying to “live your best life” for Instagram. You’re just living. And that? That’s the real flex.
Final Takeaway: The Best is Yet to Come
If your 20s feel like an overpriced rollercoaster ride, don’t panic—it’s all part of the scam. But your 30s? That’s when you start getting the refund.
You stop proving things to people who aren’t even watching. You stop investing in places that give you nothing back. And most importantly? You start living for yourself.
So if you’re in your 20s and wondering why everything feels like a mess—relax. The best years? They’re still ahead.
And if you’re already in your 30s? Cheers, my friend. 🍸 You’ve officially entered the refund era. Spend it wisely.
