Chapter #30: Thirty Things I Did Before Turning 30

Happy *belated* birthday to me!

Feeling My Shelf is a bi-weekly newsletter about books, life, and well, life with books. Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and get comfy. First up, some recent reads.

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard

This psychological thriller follows two grifters who discover their latest billionaire target is not who he appears to be. The twist was easy to guess, but I wasn’t too disappointed because the journey to the twist was fun. It's a quick page-turner with witty writing and slightly annoying (but very interesting) characters.

Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea

It’s seventeen going on thirty for two high school seniors and rivals who wake up in bed together, engaged, and with no recollection of the last 13 years. Fans of enemies-to-lovers YA will love the banter and bickering. And fans of 2000s rom-coms will love the fluffy, sweet moments.

I’m officially an adult adult, in other words 30! 

It’s only been nine days, and already, I’ve been asked multiple times about how it feels. The truth? Kind of like 29, but with flair. A little scary but also liberating. Like everything is starting to come together. Like I’m starting to come together. Not a new me forming, but the real me emerging.

Numerous times in the years leading up to this milestone, I came across 30 before 30 lists but never felt inspired to make one—until last year.

When I finally sat down to write it, I realized that I’d already done a ton of exciting things in my early twenties. Like travel solo, score my “dream job,” live in New York City. Therefore, I was free to fill my list with unique, very attainable things—some of which challenged me and forced me to step out of my comfort zone. Others that were just pure fun things to do.

Now, let’s look back on the things I did.

1. Started a newsletter. Thanks for being here!

2. Got my nose pierced. This hurt way less than I thought it would. Shoutout to the team at Somatic Body Piercing in Long Beach, CA! I get so many compliments on my little flower stud.

3. Took a pottery class. My new favorite hobby! I haven’t made anything yet that I would actually feel comfortable showing anyone, but I have had a lot of fun getting my hands (and clothes and occasionally strands of hair) dirty.

4. Dyed my hair. Brown looks good on me!

5. Bought a stranger’s coffee. Hopefully it brightened up their morning.

6. Got a Forever Bracelet™. In case you’re wondering what the hell that means — its a thin bracelet that’s welded around your wrist with a flash of light. I mean it’s not 100% forever forever. I can cut it off, but it’s so cute that I have absolutely no plans to do so.

7. Went to a drive-in movie theater. I can now confirm that Barbie is even better from the comfort of one’s car.

8. Built a skincare routine. And one that I can actually stick to. Because after countless trips to Sephora it finally hit me that all I really need is a good cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.

9. Faced a fear. As someone who’s watched Clueless hundreds of times (literally), I’ve been harboring a deep fear of driving on the freeway. The first three and half years I lived in L.A. I exclusively drove on surface streets. By accident, like Dionne, I drifted onto the freeway one day and realized that it wasn’t (isn’t?) so bad.

10. Started a collection. Yes, I’m one of those nerdy people who collects Funko Pop! figures. As of today, I’m in possession of 42.

11. Volunteered. Just because. I’ve volunteered a lot in the past with groups (work and sorority) but never alone. It was so nice! Twice I prepped and served food alongside the full-time staff at a homeless shelter in Pasadena. And I’m hoping to make this a regular thing.

12. Started journaling. My journal is messy and full of stickers and doodles and I love it. Just please, if lost and found, burn it.

13. Took a candle-making class. My candle appropriately named “thirties,” smells like lime fizz and lavender. An interesting combination according to the instructor, but it smells so good to me!

14. Donated books to a Little Free Library. I hope my old books found a good, new home.

15. Bought a cute little film camera. Haven’t used it yet. Truthfully, because I have no clue how to insert the roll of film. I should probably Google that.

    

    

    

16. Read a book that also turned 30 in 2023. A fitting pick for someone who's previously written about their love of The Babysitters Club, #68 Jessi and the Bad Babysitter was—fun fact!—published in October 1993. We’re both Libras!

17. Got an aura reading. Sure, it may be a little “woo woo,” but it was a fun way to learn more about my personality and overall vibes.

18. Became a regular at a coffee shop. Very random. But as someone who works from home, I wanted a home away from home. That also had wifi. And good pastries. Some of my favorite places in L.A.

19. Bought new luggage. It’s maple colored and from Beis.

20. Spent (at least) 48 hours in a new city. In the week leading up to my birthday, my parents and I traveled to Memphis, TN. There’s a lot of music museums, lots of bars on the historic Beale Street, and the people are so friendly! Would definitely visit again.

21. Relived something from my childhood. One of my most treasured memories is going to Blockbuster with my late grandfather when I was younger, leaving with a VHS(!) tape in one hand and a box of Buncha Crunch in the other. That’s why I was ecstatic when a themed pop-up bar opened in LA earlier this year.

22. Found my signature perfume. Ahem, Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh Eau de Parfum.

23. Baked bread from scratch. No kneading required. Just a lot of waiting. And for a first attempt, it was actually really good.

24. Made my apartment feel like home. And by home I mean a place that features numerous pastel-colored accent walls, multiple color-coded bookshelves, and a Brandy Cinderella movie poster.

25. Took a pasta making class. Time consuming but tasty.

26. Found the perfect jeans. I wanted them to be fitted but not too tight. A little high waisted. Not really cropped. Definitely not skinny-legged either. Madewell’s ‘90s Straight jeans delivered on all fronts. Though definitely not a cheap pair of jeans.

27. Mastered making matcha at home. Find all my matcha faves here.

28. Watched Star Wars for the first time ever. Yes. The first time ever. It was…interesting. I definitely feel like I should watch the other movies and shows now.

29. Saw Beyonce perform live (again.) Renaissance was worth every cent!

30. And one secret thing that I’ll talk about someday. Hopefully, someday soon.

Intermission by Phyllis R. Dixon, about a Destiny’s Child-like girl group from Memphis (where I picked up this book!) that reunites after 20 years apart.

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