First of all, smartphone cameras are amazing. I just scrolled back in my photos app and was able to put all my memories in proper order. Second of all, I was, and mostly remain, a massive square so 21 was rather tame for me.
Exhibit A: the birthday. I was in L.A. for a semester of film studies. My roommates took me to this Mexican restaurant famous for its massive burritos (featured-on-a-tv-show size) and they told the servers it was my 21st and they brought me a double-shot of tequila which I shared with everyone at the table instead of shooting it. I hadn't had spirits before so I was being cautious.
Going into 21 I thought I would be doing a lot of leading and teaching for some inane reason. But I ended up learning, listening, and having a lot of new experiences.
In L.A., I wrote my first feature-length screenplay. I read a lot of screenplaysāscript coverage for Bold Films (producers of Drive mouse)ānotably an early version of Arrival (2016). I was director of photography for a student short film. I went to my first concert and it happened to be my all time favorite band which is crazy because they're not well know in the States because they are based in Australia.
During this time, I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere (common for a TCK). Like I inhabited the space between social groups but wasn't truly part of any. I remember expressing this to capyboppy on a phone call (I was still in L.A. and she was back at our college) and said that I didn't think anybody thought of or missed me. She said I was dumb and wrong. And she was right.
Back at college, I directed my own short film and won big at our student film festival. I conned my way into a stage directing class in the theater department (I was in the journalism department and didn't have the perquisites). This, paired with an art class that was all about process and iteration and visual design, lead to big revelations about art for me. The terms and tools differ, but every medium has the same goal: communication.
I won a PS Vita on twitter š¤·āāļø
Finally, I got to visit Thailand in the summer and show my home to a bunch of friends. Then hang out with my family before the next semester started. And a precocious baby elephant ate my fitness tracker (pictured below).
I had a lot of opportunities that year, and I'm thankful that I was open. And able to fully experience them. And I'm thankful I've only grown more open since then.
Jun 11, 2024
Related Recs
I turned 21 in february 2020, so, ya know. My world changed quick.
But truly I just remember trying various things, trying to define and undefine myself. Feeling what it felt like to stick to my guns, then readjust them. I was in the middle of what would be a 2.5 year relationship. I didn't kid myself with picturing a big future anymore than what was sweet, which was wonderful. I was living with a partner for the first time and felt like I knew what to do, like I was experienced enough for all the problems which faced me. but really I was just experienced enough to start so many things.
I was constantly bouncing between total pride and complete faliure. Playing house in a house I was actually renting with friends. Experimenting with what grocery shopping for myself meant to my life, redifining how I was going to live my days in the future.
The best thing I did in my 21st year of life was not be too mean to myself for not committing, and just committing to new things. I would go dance in the park, go on walks, edit music. All things I wish I did on the regular but regardless, by trying new things, it made it so much easier to pick them up, because I had a frame of reference for the world.
I loved being 20, as depressed as I was. That specific creativity is gone. But now I am 25 and know how to weild my own magic. The depth I have always felt within my soul has farther definition. Its like I put on glasses in a 7th dimention. Don't underestimate the beautiful growth ahead. Yes you are an adult, equipped hopefully to start so many new things. But keep up that internal work, and the years will be bountiful towards true inner peace.
And soo many more new tools to better learn how to tackle issues while still feeling like yourself.
u got this. stay true to urself but be flexibl with redifining who that is.
x
Jun 12, 2024
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I began my 21st year with my head in the toilet of a man I was seeing. He held my hair back as I repeatedly wailed āwhy donāt you want to be with meeeeeā. Barely anyone had turned up to my party earlier. That year had many such sad moments like this, but it also transitioned into one of the most fun times of my life. I had a really bad depressive episode, but it was the first time Iād felt really heard by my family went home for an bit to be looked after, I also had a best friend at uni, Alice who looked after me so well and weāre still friends today. Eventually I graduated uni and I moved in with one of my best friends, Rohan. We worked at a bar together and the people at that bar became my family for a while, I stayed in Sheffield my uni town for 5 more years because of that bar. we still meet up a couple times a year for a reunion. I had purple hair and I was drunk a lot, I cried a lot, I had so much anxiety, I wrote essentially nothing but I read more than I had in the 3 years of uni prior to it. I had so much fun working at that bar, I met so many people and danced so much. slept with far too many musicians which was often traumatic but means I have some great stories and I learnt a lot about myself. 21 is really hard, but itās also really fun, and it all counts and it all means something. I look back at 21 year old me with so much love and compassion, one day you will feel the same about yourself and youāll be so proud of that person.
Jun 11, 2024
i was 21 in 2018 - which i feel like was a great year overall.
my boyfriend and i had just started dating, so we spent that whole summer falling in love - he worked at a bar and i would go see him every night and we would hang out there after everyone left until sunrise. those are some of my best memories!
i had bright pink/bleached hair and was in a really confident place in my life - i felt good with my personal style, my body image, my mental health. i was working a barista job that i really enjoyed, and living with my roommates (now best friends!) in the best apartment ever.
i was in the 2nd/3rd year of my bachelorās and really enjoying my studies and creative projects, got involved with my student climate justice protests, and just really enjoyed the social life of being in university.
looking back today, what i miss most about being 21 is how much i knew myself. i lost a lot of that confidence over the years and i often look back to that time as a marker of where i would like to get back. i was just better at having fun - and i think thatās exactly was 21 is for.
take risks! trust your intuition! have FUN!
Jun 11, 2024
Top Recs from @lucius
Alright y'all, standards have gotten a little lax around here and rec quality has taken a dip (I'm including myself in this). Here are some pointers for High Rec Standards.
ANATOMY OF A REC:
TITLEāThis is the rec or recommendations. This is NOT a lead in. Type exactly what you're recommending here. What appears in the Title should finish this sentence, "I recommend _____."
BODYāThis supports the rec and anything goes. Supporting statements, supporting essays, additional recs, you can get silly, you can pontificate. You can do anything you want. Except putting the main rec down here. Where does it go? That's right. In the Title š
IMAGEāNo rules. Add one to preference. It can be relevant or a non sequitur.
LINKāI highly recommend links but it's not as important as the Title or Body. If you are recommending something that has an online presence (music, movies, websites, products, etc.), Piffies want to click on it immediately. Don't make us google. Be kind a leave a link.
EMOJIāNo rules. Express yourself.
ANTI-RECS:
They exist and they are valid recs. "Anti-Rec: _____" clearly communicates this is something best avoided. But a better way format this type of Rec is to use a modifier or verb that flows with "I recommend _____." Ex. I recommend... Not Eating Tacks, Avoiding Area X, Leaving Off the Anchovies, etc.ā(Formatting Anti-Recs this way first recommended by tyler the Creator)
ANATOMY OF AN ASK:
TITLEāThis is the question or topic of the Ask. Asks can solicit advice or start a discussion. You have some flexibility here because the Ask is expected to be expounded upon in the body if it needs more context. Just be clear. Again, this is not a lead in. Be direct and ask the question or state the topic.
BODYāProvide more context. Narrow the recommendation field. Add relevant links. Remember, the Ask goes in the Title š
EMOJIāNo rules. Express yourself.
ANSWERING AN ASKāRecs on Asks can break style as dictated by the Ask. If the Ask is looking for Recs, give Recs following style. If it's asking for opinions, give your opinion. Asking for links? Give links! Respond however you would respond some someone IRL. Asks start a conversation so you can be more conversational. But keep in mind that these Recs will appear in the main feed. So where you can maintain Rec style, do so.
Example: WHATāS YOUR CURRENT LETTERBOXD TOP 4?
A response to this with High Rec Standards would look something like this:
TITLEāLists your current Letterboxd top 4. You are recommending these four movies.
BODYāFree reign here. Drop your Letterboxd @. Talk about the movies. Make a quip. Emoji. Relevant links. Nothing.
IMAGEāOptional. Screenshot of your top four. Frame from a movie. Dealer's choice.
LINKāAdd your Letterboxd profile only if you want to be found.
EMOJIāWhatever. But it'd be nice if it was relevant.
DISCLAIMER:
This is a living community document! These are only my recommendations for a foundation. Debate and Discussion of proper style are Encouraged. Any editions and changes to the PI.FYI STYLE GUIDE will be notated with attribution.
Changelog:
07.26.2024āClarified a Rec is not limited to one recommendation. Recs can recommend multiple things. Thanks to shegoestoanotherschool for identifying the issue. / Added guidance for Anti-Rec format.
02.11.2025āMoved SpongeBob Bubble Blowing Technique video link from the top level into the body ("some pointers") so the embed wouldn't override the High Quality instructional graphic.
Jul 25, 2024
šø
This combo has just been here the whole time?!
Feb 6, 2025
š„Æ
i will eat one every day i do not give a fuck anymore
Jan 30, 2024