And they're very funny
Ask anyone north of 30 if they'd want to repeat their twenties and you'll probably get a mixed response. Yes, they might say, for the metabolism, the lighter hangovers, the child-free weekends and seemingly endless time with friends. Then again, no, they might add, for the awkward dates, the social anxiety and the low salary.
Samantha Jayne began her tumblr and Instagram account Quarter Life Poetry, to capture in words the trials and tribulations of life in your twenties. This month she releases her Quarter Life Poetry book.
Dedicated to her parents 'for putting up with my bullshit', the book, says Jayne, is aimed at all those people who thought that by the age of 25 their life would feature 'timeless wardrobe pieces, premium cable, an inspired sex life, and a goddamn human-sized spa-bathroom complete with a gentle bidet and waterfall shower.'
'Instead', Jayne writes in the book's introduction, 'I have student loans and Thai leftovers I'm mildly excited about.'
Here are five of our favourite poems from the book.
1) Wedding invites
My friend's wedding invite
includes a plus one.
Oh, that's such a relief
'cause my cat is so fun
2) Job interviews
The interviewer asked,
"What are your interests?"
I directed him to
my luxurious Pinterest.
3) Instagram stalking
I have a chilling tale
of a nightmare come to life:
I slipped and double-tapped a pic
of my ex-boyfriend's wife.
4) The mysterious purpose of ironing
My mum sent me a bizarre gift:
a medieval device -
apparently it gets real hot
and makes my clothes look nice.
5) Childbearing
My mother's brimming with advice
she carefully compiled,
mostly regarding how to raise
my hypothetical child.
Quarter Life Poetry by Samantha Jayne is published by Sphere in hardback, £9.99
Life in your twenties: The good, the bad and the awkward
'I look back on my 20s. It’s supposed to be the prime of your life, the most vital, the most beautiful. But you’re making your critical decisions and sometimes your most critical mistakes.' Ann Brashares
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'I thought I knew everything about love and relationships in my 20s, the ignorance of youth is bliss. As you get older, you start to realise that you don't really know anything and life is a great travelling journey. Life is unexpected…you just never know what's going to happen.' Reese Witherspoon
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'I think your 20s are the hardest part of life. I mean, everyone goes on about how hard it is to be a teenager, but actually I think it’s tougher to be in your 20s because you’re expected to be a grown-up and expected to earn your own living and be successful and I think you feel like a kid still.' Nigel Cole
*
'Start your twenties with a lot of friends and leave with a few good ones. What happened? People faded away into their careers and relationships. Fights were had and never resolved. Shit happens.' Ryan O’Connell
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'When you’re single and in your 20s, you throw on a pair of jeans and look fabulous.' Sheena Easton
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'Positive, healthy, loving relationships in your twenties… I don’t know if anyone would disagree with it: I think they’re the exception, not the norm. People are either playing house really aggressively because they’re scared of what an uncertain time it is, or they’re avoiding commitment altogether.' Lena Dunham
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'In my early twenties, I had no idea who I was. And I think that’s one reason you should try different relationships. I’ve had good and bad ones, but I took away things from them that helped me become who I am.' Cobie Smulders
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'It seems to me that the years between eighteen and twenty-eight are the hardest, psychologically. It's then you realise this is make or break, you no longer have the excuse of youth, and it is time to become an adult - but you are not ready.' Helen Mirren
