Rec | DO IT NOWWWW

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I can’t recommend a year abroad enough, if it’s accessible to you. Maturity could help, but I think there’s a reason why so many young people travel. It forces you to take steps whether you think you’re ready to or not. You evolve through the good and the bad parts of it. I moved to New Zealand at 20 after living under my mom’s midwestern wing my whole life. I think I would be stagnating if I hadn’t gone through that, though it was absolutely difficult.

@haileyd4wn

Mar 9, 2025

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@Js123123123

So curious to know what this was like? Ive always had fantasies of New Zealand and also grew up in the midwest. How’d you find footing?

Mar 9, 2025

@haileyd4wn

@JS123123123 They honestly make it really easy in New Zealand! I did a working holiday visa, it cost like $25 and got approved right away. Then you just have to get an ird number. We bought a car for like $5,000usd and sold it on fb marketplace when we left. I stayed in QT for the first six months and tbh I would avoid staying there long term unless you love skiing. Super expensive and hard to find housing. Literally, I rented a room for ~$800usd a month and the bathrooms had green fuzzy mold growing out of the floor. I also knew people who were getting kicked out so their landlord could turn the place into an airbnb. I loved Wellington, I found a flat on fb marketplace by the beach. I kind of regret that I never found some remote farm job and stayed there for a while. Sometimes they’ll house and feed you for lower pay. Hostels, too. Anyways lol, NZ is generally a very safe and easy country for Americans. There are so many tourists, you’ll always be around people in the same boat.

Mar 10, 2025

@Js123123123

@HAILEYD4WN cool thanks a lot for the info!

Mar 13, 2025

@gforce2001

Thank you :') I think I've definitely fallen into the trap of waiting until I am "ready" but nobody is ever ready until they actually do it, cuz you have to learn as you go. I'm so glad you made the New Zealand leap! I feel like I'm starting to stagnate in Florida for sure.

Mar 9, 2025

@haileyd4wn

@GFORCE2001 Sounds like a very exciting time for you! Like change is gonna happen whether you move or not :)))

Mar 9, 2025

@gforce2001

@HAILEYD4WN Yeah, I'm glad I at least built the ability to be myself no matter where I am!

Mar 9, 2025

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some highest highs, many lowest lows, lots and lots of growth

to preface, i actually know a lot of people who had an amazing time being 21! i think most of the lows were due to poor decision-making and bad luck in my love life which can happen at any age 🙈 at the same time i still hosted and attended a lot of cool events and parties; i tried new things and made some amazing friends; i lived on my own for the first time that summer and had a few cool academic accomplishments! so despite the trauma and heartbreak lol, i learned SO so much about myself and the world which i am grateful for. ❤️‍🩹 also, what i do think is a common experience for many 21 year olds is having a lot of growth through that year, which is never a bad thing!

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