Are your 20s for the panic or the glory?

We've all heard it: your twenties are your prime years, the happiest years of your life, when you're full of energy and endless possibilities. It's a story that's been told in movies, songs, and pop culture. For many though, reality paints a different picture – one of concern, bewilderment, and, yes, fear.

While this decade offers unique moments and opportunities that need to be cherished, it is equally important to grow awareness regarding the anxieties that begin to latch on to individuals once they step into their twenties.

According to a social media lingo, these years have recently been referred to as the 'panic years', which I believe is a term correctly coined. One must stay on top of their finances and be responsible while spending their very limited income, but also make appearances at social gatherings to make sure to remain present and "make the most" of these years never to come by again. The anxiety to have everything under control and sorted out by the age of thirty, because let's face it, we have all found ourselves call someone around us turning thirty, 'old'.

There's also panic involved in people the same age posting their successes on LinkedIn or finding out there are no plans on a Friday night when the rest of Instagram does. Then there is the fear of starting to age, and making sure one finds the perfect skincare routine, and learns what retinol is actually used for.

Then there is the constant need to prove oneself. After years of parents tending to the needs of their children, twenties seem to become the years one proves their parents' efforts fruitful and make them proud. For many of us, the twenties are also when we start to become more aware of the deteriorating health of our parents, and begin to come to terms with the inevitable sense of loss that comes with the awareness.

Given all of that, one must also stay up with trends before falling completely behind and running the risk of sounding like a 'boomer', while also continuing to grow and improve oneself, to read more until you grow a habit out of it instead of just picking up a book once a year.

Since childhood, societal standards have influenced our ideas of what life should be like in our twenties. Most think that we should follow a certain path: graduate, find employment in our sector of choice, form an established relationship, and possibly start a family. These pressures, along with the fact that life rarely goes as planned, can leave one feeling inadequate and unsuccessful.

The dazzling representations of the twenties in the media frequently gloss over the financial side. The truth is that a lot of people are suffering with their student loan debt, entry-level pay, and an increasingly competitive job market. This unstable financial situation might be a persistent source of worry.

This time is also the time of self-discovery, but we are also fraught with existential concerns. The overwhelming amount of choices we must make about relationships, job paths, and personal ideals can cause paralysis by analysis. This search for identity can frequently result in a feeling of being lost forever, especially when combined with social pressures.

First significant heartbreak, first serious relationship, and first exposure to the difficulties of adult partnerships are all firsts that are frequently experienced in our twenties. Mental health issues could also become more apparent. Biological predispositions, societal influences, and personal difficulties all contribute to the development of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. The stigma attached to mental health contributes to the internal struggle by making many people suffer silently.

To romanticise the twenties as an unblemished decade of pure delight leads to the utter dismissal of the genuine difficulties that accompany it. While there are certainly exhilarating and growing moments, they are frequently intermingled with hurdles and panic. It is important to recognise that everyone's journey is different and that it is normal to not have everything figured out.

Sumaiya Rashid is a student at Independent University, Bangladesh