Truth: I haven’t been the best at trying to cross stuff off my 30 Before 30 list.
Truth #2: I recently crossed off two of the items! Well, technically one but we’ve made plans for another.
#2 Pay Off My Student Loans
Yessss! Omg yes. This was one of the best feelings ever. Exactly five years after making my first student loan payment, I made my last. It got to the point where I said “screw it” and paid the last chunk off instead of dragging it out another year. Part of me doesn’t want to know the amount of money I paid in the end with the accumulation of interest, but at the same time I do want to know. At one point, one of my interest rates was 13%! I feel like that shouldn’t be allowed. My timing of being in college was also quite lucky. I was in college when the market crashed, which in the end changed that 13% to 4% because that particular loan’s interest rate changed according to the markets. I can’t image having to pay on student loans for 10-20 years. I’m very thankful that I was in a situation to where I could pay 3X the amount of my minimum payment requirement. If ever I go back to school for a Master’s degree, my goal is to be able to do it without having to take out loans.
#3 Travel Back to Europe
We’re going!! We booked our flights and are heading across the pond this fall. I get to revisit and introduce Tim to London and Paris, and then we’re headed to Barcelona. I’m already making lists of things to do. I’m so excited for the food and wine. I’m even learning French through the Duolingo app. Tim actually gets to go to Europe twice this year! Lucky duck. He’s headed to Germany and Amsterdam for a guy’s trip. I was really hoping to go visit a friend in Sweden this year, but it’s not going to work out unfortunately.
Other than those two items, I need to get my butt in gear for the others. I’ve actually started to accept the fact that I most likely won’t get them all crossed off, but I can get close!
-m.