20 Bucket List Items for the Next 20 Years

I turned 20 on the 11th and even though I had to stay at home, I still had a wonderful day. My dad made tons of good food (homemade mac and cheese, quiche, poke bowls, Portuguese codfish fritters, etc.), we played board games and virtual escape rooms, made s'mores in lieu of a traditional birthday cake, watched a half-hour long surprise video of virtual birthday messages from friends and family all across the country (Mom had a brilliant idea and Max did all the editing), and did all of this while carrying Josh around on my phone with us via video chat.

20 feels big to me even though it isn't really a huge milestone in terms of American culture (I'm kind of in between milestones: I've been an adult for two years, I can already vote, I can't drink yet, etc.). But on the other hand, I'm no longer a teenager, I've been alive for two decades, and there's a whole different number at the start of my age. For the next several months, I suspect I'll write a "1" out of habit when starting to list my age on some form.

So to celebrate this "kind-of" milestone, I wanted to list a bucket list of sorts for the next twenty years of my life with all kinds of goals (dreamlike and achievable) I've wanted to do for a while now. I've already done so many big things in the past twenty years (traveled to Europe, seen Broadway shows, been to "Supernatural" conventions and "met" the actors through photo ops, met up with friends I made online, gone to college, started dating, etc. etc. etc.), so I can't wait to see what I'll do in the next twenty years.

1. Publish one of my YA novels
2. See one of my books adapted into a movie
3. Meet some of my favorite authors in person (J.K. Rowling, Rainbow Rowell, Becky Albertalli, etc.)
4. Go to YALLFest
5. Win an award for something creative I've done (writing a book, writing a play - do I dare dream of a Tony Award before 40? 😬)
6. Meet Lin-Manuel Miranda in person
7. Create a concept album or put on a concert/performance for a genderbent "Les Mis"
8. Perform on Broadway (even as a walk-on role!)
9. Write a musical and see it performed (anywhere, but especially on Broadway in my dreams)
10. Play the lead in a non-junior musical
11. Check Eponine off my list of dream roles
12. Get married
13. Have a kid or two
14. Have a house of my own
15. Adopt dogs (so many dogs)
16. Dye my hair a crazy color (I've wanted to do this for years and will actually be doing this in the next week!)
17. Be an extra on a TV show
18. Find a day job/long-term career I love (something that will support me on its own without artsy endeavors)
19. Dabble in screenwriting (I wouldn't want to write for TV or movies long-term, but I'd love to have that experience of being in the writers' room just once to see how it works)
20. Go on a book tour/be a part of book conferences

Are many of these goals pie-in-the-sky or out of my control, no matter how hard I try? Probably. Yes. But many of these things are within my control and the rest are fun to dream about. I'll be curious to look back on this list when I'm forty and see how much has or hasn't happened. And I'm sure even the things that don't happen will be replaced by so many other amazing experiences.

Here's to the next twenty years!

What are some of your bucket list goals, both "realistic" and "unrealistic?" Leave a comment!