Quarter life crisis should be legit.

We all know about mid-life crisis. It is well talked about, written about and discussed pretty often. But what about when you turn 25? What about the time when you’re neither young enough to party till wee hours of the morning and not old enough to brush your kid’s hair and get her ready for school? You got it, mate. That’s the quarter life crisis.

So, I turned 25 around two months back and it kind of feels uggh. I guess I have evolved as a person. Over the years, I have made mistakes and learnt from them (or, so I would like to believe). So, here’s a list of the top 25 things that I have learnt the hard way in 25 years.

1) I can’t stress this point enough, but I’ll say it anyway. Live for yourself. The way you want to live. Don’t live a life others want you to live. Years later, when your kids will be going to college, you will sit back and think what you could have done, had you just been yourself and not lived a life according to other’s terms and conditions.

2) Let go. Of burdens, emotional baggage and age old enmity. Basically, move the fuck on.

3) People will be with you during your happy times, but nobody will bother stick around when you’re trying hard to get a job / dealing with a break-up or basically, in a really bad shape. Friends who will be there with you during these times are few and rare. So, never let them go.

4) You can fall in love more than once. For crying out loud even SRK in ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hain’ fell in love twice, even after proudly proclaiming, “Hum ek baar jite hain, ek baar marte hain, shaadi bhi ek baar hoti hai, aur pyar bhi” (We live once, we die once, we marry once and love also happens only once). As you grow up, you realize, the movie that you have grown up idolizing, had taught you nothing but crap.

5) Marrying before 25? Hahaha. Don’t even *think* about it.

6) Life was much simpler in the 90s and social media can be a boon only if you want it to be. Or else, it can turn out to be the biggest bane ever.

7) Only your parents, grandparents and your pet(s) will love you selflessly. Everyone else will have certain expectations in return.

8) It’s okay if someone doesn’t like you. And it is also okay, if you don’t like someone. You can still remain cordial and not make a big issue out of it.

9) Sometimes you forgive people, even if it is really tough, just because you still want them in your life.

10) It feels great to love someone more than you can love yourself.

11) Looks does matter. Let’s face it. If he looked like Johnny Lever, you would not have even started flirting and felt attracted in the first place.

12) Size matters too.

13) Age is not just a number. It is way more than that. It makes you who you are. It makes you grow as a person, not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, psychologically.

14) Reading and writing have the magical ability to heal and calm you down. Forget e-books. Pick up an old book and smell it’s pages till you’re dizzy with happiness.

15) If you’re passionate about something, go for it. Don’t think, ‘Oh. What will my family/society/distant aunties/girlfriend’s entire family/neighbor think’. Follow your heart. It feels great to wake up in the morning and do what you love doing.

16) Never quit your stable job without knowing what you want to do next. Have a clear idea about your next step, before leaving everything impulsively, and then regretting later.

17) Stand up for what you feel is right, even if others think you’re wrong.

18) Everyone on your Facebook ‘friend’ list aren’t your friends. 90% of them don’t even matter in your life.

19) Everyone wishes you a Happy Birthday. Not because they remember it, or care about you, but because Facebook reminds them about it, and they do it as a routine and/or courtesy. Very few wishes you, and actually mean it. And even fewer people will do anything to really make your birthday happy. They’re for real.

20) Be grateful for what you have. There are millions of people out their who are less fortunate than you. They don’t have a place to live, food to eat, or a job to pay their bills.

21) Sitcoms can change your mood in few minutes. Thank God for sitcoms!

22) Taxes. I’m (apparently) a responsible citizen and I have learnt all about TDS and how to save my taxes by getting a life insurance done etc etc etc.

23) Take time out every now and then, and make those long-distance calls to your grandparents. They will always love you no matter what.

24) I quit smoking after being a chronic smoker for 6-7 years. Let’s face it, it is a bad habit, and it really isn’t healthy.

25) Last but not the least, I’ll say it at the cost of sounding cheesy – Don’t marry the man who has money. Marry the one you love.