When I turned 20, I was just into having fun. All I wanted to do was shop after class, eat out with my girlfriends, take bi-weekly trips to the hair salon, and read issues of People StyleWatch over and over again. I was a Viva La Juicy fanatic, and wore french manicures. I'm talking white tips only!
21 was a bit different. I possessed the ability to order a Lemon Drop Martini with extra sugar around the rim the way Joan did on girlfriends. I had a new jazz about myself, and decided that American Apparel was the only place to shop. At this point in life, experimenting with all the many different shades of pink O.P.I. had to offer was my way of decorating my fingertips. Oh, and I traded that old Juicy Couture perfume for a fresh, new fragrance... Daisy by Marc Jacobs. *inserts glitter emoji*
Another year floated on by, and I turned 22. Still stylish as ever, I decided to stop pressing my hair and let my natural curls pop! Wash n' go's were now an every day task and leave-in-conditioner was a definite necessity. I decided that black was "my" color and wore it faithfully. I even got my hair stylist to dye my hair jet black.I took a deeper interest in my goals, transferred to a new school, landed a great job, received a dope internship, met some new friends, developed new relationships-- really, I got myself together.
While 22 for me seemed like a glorious year, I had a lot of crashes too. I've been hit with a ton of curve balls, but I am still standing! I celebrated my birthday on October 21, and I'm finally 23. I have decided that this will be my year of growth and development. My clothes, shoes, perfumes and polishes all still matter to me, but I am more concerned about getting my life in order. I will follow all of my dreams, not just a fraction of them, but every single one of them!
See, being 20-something is a very important time for a woman. You really begin to come into your own, and every decision made definitely matters. I am a firm believer that these are the years that teach the most lessons. An entire decade of living and learning! The age 23 is the stepping stone into true womanhood, and it is imperative to take advantage of each moment. 23 gives you a whole year to put in work for the benefits that you'll reap at 24 and 25.
Each year of a woman's life hold significant value, I just know for sure that 23 is one of the most important years!
by, Janée Barbre
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IMAGES BY: QUANAE STARKS
