30 Things Every Woman Should Have Before She Turns 30*
Posted by: Wendy Atterberry
Filed in:
style
10:00AM, Wednesday October 28th 2009
Our editor Amelia is turning 30 in a few short weeks and her essay on the subject really resonated with Frisky readers, both younger and older than 30. With that in mind, we’ll be reposting our “30 Before 30” series, which originally ran late last year, over the next few weeks. Enjoy!
1. Clothes that fit the size she is now, not the size she was five years ago
2. A weekly income that covers the rent (or mortgage payment)
3. An orgasm
4. Always enough toilet paper
5. A hair stylist she trusts
6. A favorite song, porn site, image, movie or fantasy that always gets her in the mood
7. Health insurance
8. A signature drink
9. A healthy relationship with her parents
10. Bras in the correct size
11. Enough alcohol in her home to offer drop-by guests a cocktail
12. An emergency hangover remedy
13. A voter registration card
14. A wardrobe that includes the perfectly flattering little black dress, a great pair of heels, jeans that make her ass look great, and a cute hat that hides a bad hair day
15. A yearly appointment with her gynecologist
16. The name of reliable movers to give her friends when they ask for help relocating
17. The gumption to ask a man out
18. A group of girlfriends who get it
19. A set of tools (and the ability to use them ... even if it’s just to hang a piece of art)
20. A balanced checkbook
21. No interest in men who just aren’t that into her
22. A vacation to look forward to at least once a year
23. A good bulls**t detector
24. The courage to stand up for herself and her beliefs
25. A favorite sex position
26. A set of hand towels so guests don’t have dry their hands on her bath towel (gross!)
27. Enough self-love to avoid and break off unhealthy friendships and relationships
28. A commitment to exercise
29. A retirement fund
30. A great vibrator
*And if you’re already past 30, it’s late, but not too late to tackle this list!
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Leigh Raines
wrote on September 11 2008 @ 12:33 pm: [report]
i love that you used the word gumption.
FabulousJoi
wrote on September 11 2008 @ 01:27 pm: [report]
Love the list. Definitely forwarding to my girlfriends.
Amelia
wrote on September 11 2008 @ 02:00 pm: [report]
I am giving myself on a “C” grade on #4 and #28 but I’m getting better on them. Still working on 9, 16, 19, 20, 26, and 29.
S.
wrote on September 12 2008 @ 04:34 pm: [report]
Number 15 should be more like a yearly appointment with your regular care physician.
Karen
wrote on September 12 2008 @ 08:36 pm: [report]
I think this was really thoughtful to all twenty somthings
and very cute! Meanwhile I will do my homework….
Michelle
wrote on September 13 2008 @ 05:27 pm: [report]
Love this!
Nikki
wrote on September 14 2008 @ 07:19 pm: [report]
Definitely #3, 11, 24, and 30!!
TinaLish
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:06 am: [report]
I still have 5 years to go so…I’m a work in progress fo sho!
bethlynn00
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:12 am: [report]
Good list, although I disagree with 8 & 11 & 12 because I don’t drink, so I wouldn’t waste my money buying liquor, not even for guests, they can drink water or something. And I also agree that should be a yearly appt. to see a Primary Care Physician, much better than just seeing a gyno.
joyy
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:22 am: [report]
@bethlynn00 - Most people don’t have pcps anymore. Seeing your gyno yearly is better than not seeing anyone.
amandabear
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:30 am: [report]
I suspect I’ll get to 30 without checking off a few key things on this list, unfortunately. But it’s a good one.
fluffysue
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:33 am: [report]
Wow I don’t think I fulfill even half that list…maybe I can accomplish this by the time I’m 40…
sparklestar
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:38 am: [report]
I have all these things! I’m only 25! What do I win?
re no. 17: If I hadn’t of asked my boyfriend out then it would never have happened. He’s too shy and didn’t think I would have been interested in him.
AWWWW.
Timeguy55
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:40 am: [report]
@Nikki, Your honesty speaks volumes about your character. I hope that I can meet a woman as open, honest, and liberal as you. Thanks for letting me know that they woman I want (i think that i want) really does exists.
Maybe someday I will be so lucky, but the very fact that you exist brings a smile to my face today.
Queen Frostine
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 09:48 am: [report]
I’m 29 and have everything but the vibrator. I actually don’t enjoy the electric toys. How about just “sex toy” instead.
camille905
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 10:12 am: [report]
I’m 4 years away from 30 but have accomplished most of the things on this list. I think it’s great!
Caramel Party
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 10:19 am: [report]
Before I opened the link, I thought for sure that there would be at least a couple of things on this list that I haven’t reached yet, and there isn’t. I have obtained all.
I turn 30 in 22 days.
bethlynn00
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 10:37 am: [report]
@ joyy: Just because they don’t have them doesn’t make it okay, especially since gynos are just as, if not harder to, find than PCPs. OB/GYN is a specialty practice meaning they are not doing or are not able to do full health screenings like a PCP, and some insurance companies won’t cover routine tests if you are going to a gyno over a PCP or Internist, you have to get a referral to a PCP. So sure seeing a gyno yearly is good, but if you’re not getting comprehensive care then it’s the same as getting nothing. Heart disease is by far the number one killer of women, something that is not commonly diagnosed by a gyno.
joyy
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 10:43 am: [report]
@bethlynn00 - I’m not saying no one should, I’m just sayin, that’s how it goes, and there’s more women than you’d think who don’t even get a yearly ob/gyn visit. I’ve never had problems getting ob/gyn stuff paid for because there was no pcp referral, and finding my gyno was a snap.
bethlynn00
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 11:00 am: [report]
@ joyy: oh I agree and know that a lot of women receive no medical care. Even here in WI where women with out insurance and under the poverty line are able to get free paps & mammograms, that program is under utilized! And although the service is limited, it’s definitely better than nothing, but they really put a lot of effort into getting women to utilize that program. But under my last insurance plan I was going to see a gyno and ended up getting a bill for $256 for bloodwork that was separate from bloodwork as part of the STI screening, because my insurance company would not cover a gyno doing this, I had to get a referral to a PCP who they said could only authorize this type of lab work, and it was like for cholesterol, blood sugar, and other routine bloodwork. And now under my current insurance I had to pick an Internist as my PCP and can only see a gyno if she refers me to one and even then I could not make the gyno my PCP and have a limited number of visits I could see then in, depending on the condition I could be diagnosed with. It’s all very crazy. So you could also add to the list have health insurance that you understand so you don’t have to constantly go thru the run-around trying to get things covered!
Shewolf68
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 11:28 am: [report]
Don’t feel bad if you don’t have the health insurance or a retirement fund yet. But do make both of those a priority. When I was 30…I had both!
LilMissSunshine
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 12:48 pm: [report]
I say amend the OB/GYN on the list to say getting regular health screenings which include a complete physical with a primary care doc once a year. A yearly exam with an OB/GYN, and every six months teeth cleaning and check-ups. If you have eye problems you should also get a yearly eye exam.
TaraMonster
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 12:52 pm: [report]
23/30 and I have 6 years to get the rest. Love this list. Time to go forward it to my ladies!
treehugr
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 02:53 pm: [report]
I’m 23 and I have all of the above except a retirement fund and that perfect little black dress. Great list! It’s not an impossible feat to fulfill all of them! Although, I have had a hard time with finding a black dress that is truly perfect!
seygra20
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 03:17 pm: [report]
number19 is abit iffy but do-able
b_brilliance
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 06:26 pm: [report]
i love this. i don’t think i’ve achieved nearly half the things on here but i’m only about to turn 22, so i think i have a while to get it together =)
mayorbubbles
wrote on October 29 2009 @ 06:17 am: [report]
They mentioned this on q102! Hahaha!
showbiiiz
wrote on October 29 2009 @ 09:47 am: [report]
Hmm… There are 3 that don’t apply to me (don’t drink, don’t like vibrators either) So I’m 17/27 and I’m 21. I have plenty of time for the last 10 but it is over half!
Pookie
wrote on October 29 2009 @ 01:03 pm: [report]
Turning 30 in 4 weeks! Got em all down except for #2, BUT my husband and I make enough to pay for our house. So yay!
spatula
wrote on October 29 2009 @ 01:05 pm: [report]
I love this list! And I’m doing WAY better than I thought I would be for 25
Anniushka
wrote on October 29 2009 @ 09:31 pm: [report]
I have 8 or 9 of these, and I’m only 20. Not sure I should count my health insurance, though, since it’s really my mom’s. Hmmm. And some of these just don’t count since I’m in college—like, income to cover the rent? Does being poor and getting financial aid count as income?
This also reminds me… I seriously need to go jeans shopping. Yikes.
sydneylandscaper
wrote on October 29 2009 @ 09:52 pm: [report]
enjoy life at 30
lajya
wrote on October 30 2009 @ 08:43 am: [report]
30 Things That a 30 Year Old Woman Shouldn’t Have (but probably does):
1. a dysfunctional relationship with an ex
2. makeup from 5 years ago.
3. LOTS of family resentments
4. sun damage.
5. underwear that isn’t pretty.
6. clothes we haven’t worn (i.e. fit into) since 2004.
7. debt.
8. a job that’s beneath us.
9. a guy that we let break our hearts repeatedly.
10. students loans, health insurance, and if we’re lucky, a 401K that we don’t understand.
11. things we “borrowed” from our parents because we didn’t want to buy them ourselves.
12. naked pictures floating around in other people’s hands.
13. a purse you can’t find anything in.
14. a vibrator we rarely use, or can’t even find.
15. a girlfriend we lost due to #&@$%.
16. late fees…
17. a song that makes us want to strangle #9, or curl up in a ball and cry.
18. guy friends who’d really prefer to get in our pants than shop for them with us.
19. NO commitment to exercise.
20. a tendency to bitch about certain things so much that our friends have screened their calls.
21. a sex position that reminds us that we’re not 20 anymore.
22. an unhealthy obsession with texting, facebook, or twitter.
23. a fear of getting old.
24. a bar we avoid because it reminds us that we ARE getting old.
25. denial.
26. pets we treat like people.
27. stuffed animals.
28. a goal we never had the guts to pursue.
29. a friend we constantly complain about but never have the gumption to confront.
30. a tendency to place too much value on where we think we should be.
sparklestar
wrote on October 30 2009 @ 10:42 am: [report]
lajya - You should write for this blog!
I laughed so hard at your top 30 that we shouldn’t have but do !! I think I have all 30?? 
MsNeche
wrote on November 1 2009 @ 06:49 pm: [report]
I like this list but better I love the commenters’ list!
Frederica Bimble
wrote on November 2 2009 @ 11:30 am: [report]
Well, I managed to screw up the “running out of toilet paper” and the lack of hand-towels but since I don’t get visitors in my home anyway, I guess that doesn’t matter. I ran out of toilet paper just this past Saturday and had to use left-over coffee filters….
BlueVibe
wrote on November 3 2009 @ 01:21 pm: [report]
How about: The maturity not to drink too much so often that she still needs an emergency hangover remedy? And I *might* have beer in the house if you stop by, but in general I don’t drink and don’t feel obligated to offer my guests cocktails. If you don’t like me without alcohol, you don’t like me enough to bother coming over.