I got married at 24, was working two part time jobs and had a semester to go in college. We were living in a rented house, and I had seven cars at the time...'66 Fairlane, '23 Model T, '46 ford, '47 Ford, '66 V-dub and a '56 V-dub...plus my wife's '57 Chevy. I used to fix-up the old cars ans sell them for extra money. We rented-out four bedrooms in the house to students, too. That covered our rent. Wish I was 24 again.

MR

 

Lets see 24 hmmmmmm oh yeah I was serving in the USMC and loving it, lots of neat toys that went bang, splat or BOOM. Tore both my knees up doing what I loved to do and had to become a civilian again found a job in Low Voltage Systems and enjoyed it for 12 years, own my own business now fixing of all things vacuum cleaners and floor finishing equipment.

John

 

I was living on the east coast and hating it. That year, I just up and moved to Idaho. Basically, on a whim. Never any regrets. If there is something you really want to do with your life, don't hesitate, do it. One thing I do know (most of everything else, I don't), is that life is very, very short. Don't get to the end of the tracks and look back thinking, "I should have done that."

 

Camo...
I think that's the first lesson ANY person should learn....
Never to say "I wish I had..."

we get SO immersed in the urgent, we forget the important

find what you like and PURSUE it...
study, work, play ---- all HARD - rarely skate !!!

 

Hopefully when I'm 24 I'll have finished my BSME and be hired in full time here. I'll have to start my Master's soon after that. The year after that I'm hoping to buy my first Mustang ('07 Cobra, por favor!!) and *maybe* a house in Dearborn... provided that things work out that way. I hope I still have my truck (and it runs)... but I'll probably give it to my little sister (when I get a new one) so she has a car in college... It seems like it's not very far away... just a few years for me!

 

At 24 I was still superman - Nothing could kill me, and I look back now, totally amazed that nothing did. I was in the military, doing things they make movies about, and thinking life was just perfect.

 

At 24......well, my daughter had just been born and we had just bought our first house. Most weeks we could barely buy groceries, so I ended up detailing cars for others so we could eat. That was on top of a full time job.

Hang in there, it really does get better and then just think of the stories you will have to tell!

Tim

 

I just moved out of my apartment in west philly (I'm going to be 24 on Christmas). There were mice running across me when I was sleeping, didn't notice until one got stuck in a tall trash can near my bed and woke me up....everything was near my bed though, pretty small room. The apartment smelled horrible, I lived with 4 other guys, and I was the only one who cleaned anything. The day efore I would clean the bathroom, you'd have to wear shoes in the tub. I started a job 3 years ago, and I'm still here, making $12/hr for salary, but have all the benefits I oculd want, and commission. The cuts are very big, but time in between comm. checks is very long. I just got out of my Bronco and bought a Nissan cheap. The girl I refused to leave philly for may move to Detroit, and I know I won't see her again if she does (weak knees is a real thing). I now live at home with the 'rents...saving money, sure, but if I want to drink in the city, I have to crash on someone's sofa.

23 is my year to plant the seeds...I'm going to retire in 22 years (if not sooner), regardless of what happens...I don't mean not work, I just mean I wouldn't have to if I didn't want to. I've made this promise for years now. I don't think I want to get married until I'm approaching 30, barring whatever the future throws at me, and I want to work my face off for commissions, an early retirement, and a small carribean island with a boat dock, small airstip, and a regulation road racing circuit. I typed up a life-goals list, printed it 2x, one wallet sized, erased it from my computer, and look at them when I'm down.

Remember, what you learn most in life is what you learned through mistakes, as long as you don't paralyze your future decision making processes by being afraid to mess up, life will reward you. And besides, for almost 9,000 days now, we've beat the grim reaper at his own game...everything after the first moment you open your eyes in the morning, is just a fringe benefit...live for the day your in.

 

Employed fulltime, married by 21 and bought first house. Had my first little girl by 24. I started working at the same company I'm at now, since I was 19. First six years of marriage were tough on the finances, so I had to work two jobs in between. Through the years, life has gotten easier. You live and learn from your mistakes. Save your money, be frugal, keep your debt very low, and be willing to work your hynee off to get what your want.
Good luck and relish your young years!

 

Age 24 and 25 were tough years for me too. I'd already bought my first (and only ever new car, a factory-ordered Mustang, and crashed it into a concrete planter after 5 months
I bought a half a duplex and had roomates to help pay for it, but was "house poor" and could not afford to do much else. I wanted to travel to Rio, Australia, Scotland, and #1 on my list was Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but I couldn't afford any of that.

22 years later I've never seen any of those places, and probably won't until I am too old to enjoy them

To make things worse, I lived in Oil-Boom Calgary, and was single in a town where the men my age out-numbered the women 7 or 8 to one, not a good situation for a shy draftsman. And the oil boom had just gone bust. I was really lonely for female companionship in those days.

Later in life I met my wife and started a family.
But had I been more adventurous in those days I should have thrown it all aside and travelled for a year, just to bring myself out of the doldrums and meet some people.

Hindsight is always 20-20.
Shake your life up big if you are not happy.
Just get out there and do it.
my $0.02

RF

 

Ringo...
have gone to about 5 Mardi Gras in Nawlins....
you DID miss out there

 

mmmm....let's see I just met my wife to be so I was going out partying and gettin lot's of ......... you get the picture. I had a good job with benefits and sharing a house with 2 buddies....life was good.

 

Married , 3 kids and living in town. I was never happy until 2 years later we moved back out to the woods. I been out in the boonies for 20 + years and will die here someday hopefully. Failed to thrive in the city!

 

I'm 24 now, been married for almost a year, bought a house in April, an 02 f150 in August. Miserable at my job, miss my friends, need more money. I think 24-25 people go through a 1/4 life crisis. I'm not dirt poor mind you, I mean I did just get a new for me truck. I just wish i could do more for my wife and I miss some of the things I used to be able to buy when I was single. I love my wife though and I love being married and wouldn't give it up for anything.

 

Enjoying the best years of my life- should be yours as well. Everyday pressures suck but, it could always be alot worst -trust me on that. You just have to do the best you can and enjoy every moment that you can. I am sure there is alot more ahead of you, some good and some bad. But, truely those years are about the best in your life. I was stuck in rural Kansas- due to a good job, wound up married at the end of 25 and things went down hill from that. Divorced/ recovered and went on to bigger and better things. Looking back at my early twenties reflects alot of good times through alot of sacrificing to get there. Enjoy it. Don't be in a rush to settle down ...