I'm at my quarter-life-, what-do-i-want-for-a-midlife crisis stage. I'm in my mid-twenties, moved to San Francisco a little bit more than a year ago (have loved every minute of it). I'm also early in my career doing something I am passionate about but work, for me, has been a way to do the things that make me earn life experiences; I predominantly get this by doing a lot of things outdoors so I am very active but I also love to consume art as well be that through reading, watching, or listening.

Peaceful, content, and exciting. It surprises me daily that my life is this way because there was a point 2-3 years ago where I wouldn't have imagined life would ever be good to me. I'm extremely grateful for where I am today. I have a couple close friends with whom I do a lot of activities but I mostly do things by myself (I enjoy them very much) — things like picking a neighborhood and zigzagging through it to explore. I haven't made many new friends since moving to the city because I just end up doing things by myself but I want to break that and try to go out of my comfort zone, hoping this happens through AroundTheCorner because meeting new people, and making new friendships is a life experience I struggle to earn.

3 o'clock tea time. It is a sacred time, a non-negotiable that I look forward to daily. Making tea, while singing along to my tea time playlist with the sun shining through my windows and the breeze playing with my curtains is a sight I will never get tired of. Along with this, I also have reading time, gaming time, and exploration time. Each meaningful and special to me its own way.

Not losing the wonder with which I saw the world as a kid. Do you remember how the grass, wind, sun, clouds and everything else, small and big, (even the gray of the walls) awed you as a kid? I think we get caught up in life and stop appreciating all that after a point. I live slow, to relearn the wonder and curiosity I inadvertently put aside. I love to travel (currently planning my first solo trip to Costa Rica!), taking photos, and looking with awe at everything this fabulous pale blue dot has to offer.

A travelogue called "Cyclettes". It's about all the cycles the author has owned and the impact each one of them had on them. My cycle, and cycling in general, is something I hold dear because it was how I was first able to express my freedom. I always heard "freedom", and "free" as a kid but never really expressed it or experienced it's meaning until I started cycling. This travelogue/memoir caught my eye immediately because I could relate to it in a lot of ways.

Early/soon-to-be-mid 20s, and moved to the city a little under a year ago after graduation. A good number of my close friends stayed in the area as well, great for an initial base of social life but also causing me to find myself not exploring socially as much as I could. I've been trying to figure out how to define life for myself post-graduation - the routines that keep me sane, and how to break those up to keep things interesting.

Pretty good. I enjoy my work and am pretty satisfied with my social life even as I learn to explore more socially and find my footing in the city.

Lifting, drawing, reading, cooking when I have the time, and existing around others

Developing and defining my social life further

I started sketching somewhat consistently a few weeks back, without any real knowledge/practice previously. Didn't realize that I'd end up with a fairly consistent style after just a few days of doing it, despite it not being something i know how to describe still

I’m in my mid 30s, married. Recently quit my job to take a career break. Exploring things that I always put off due to lack of time - beginning with learning piano.

I don’t have much of a routine as of yet, earlier it was mostly dictated by my job, now I am rebuilding it. Generally weekends are quite chill where I try to spend time with my husband. Mornings are typically slower, more active during later part of the day with coffee runs, walks in the neighborhood, cooking.

Nature walks, music, art, a clean home.

My health and finding a community of friends - I wanna build a daily routine that I can consistently follow, with habits that truly fulfill me (exercising, walking, meditation and journaling) and get me ready for the day. I have realized it’s really hard to develop long lasting adult friendships- most of my old friends have been separated by time or distance and I am looking to make new ones.

Afro soul music - so cool, always uplifts my mood and makes me wanna move. Some of my most played tracks are Antidote by Nao, Essence by Wizkid, Commas and Rush by Ayra Star, Corny by Rema.

Late 20s!

I recently got affected by back-to-back tech job layoffs in the past 2 years, along with loss of a friend to cancer. The pandemic took a large toll out of who I was so I have been spending the last however long trying to go back to "normal" (whatever normal is in this time). One thing though - I am trying to say 'yes' to more things.

Mentally, the best it has been in a while. I am taking some time off from drinking, "recreational fun" and eating junk which has made things a lot better. Regular exercise has been important but also taking some breaks is also important.

I spent winter of this year heavily socializing but looking forward to traveling more as well as getting a stable job so I can accomplish more of my long and short term goals.

Both a mixture of alone time & time with friends and family. I burn out from one or the other but having a balance is very important.

I blow off steam by myself by going to the gym a few times a week, being a really big foodie (say no to chain restaurants!), playing games & watching my curated interests on Youtube. When I'm around friends we are usually eating (HAHA), going to concerts, and enjoying what the bay has to offer.

Stability, Peace & Routine

Life is a lot better when you are not constantly stressing and managing your stress well. Worrying about the future & past does nothing to help you in the present.

Just moved to the city late last year! Trying to figure out what exactly I want to do with life and figuring out who I am/growing comfortable with myself. Trying to keep my enthusiastic and positive energy steady with all interactions I have with others. I just want to make genuine connections and learn from others. Self discovery and growth is at a high for me now!

Life is okay. I have a good job and a decent support system but something feels missing, and I'm not entirely sure what it is. I've been learning a lot about my past and how it affected me while actively trying to practice positive changes.

Going out on walks/drives/being in nature. Eating good food!! Any kind interaction with a stranger. Those little memorable exchanges make a huge difference. Also dogs and cats haha.

Just being more comfortable being vulnerable! It's something I've always struggled with in the past and i feel like I closed off parts of myself that I actually like. I want to grow out of my shell again and I think just having meaningful conversations with others and allowing myself to meet new people/try new things would help!

I heard that if you see a banana slug for the first time that you're supposed to kiss it (Santa Cruz local tradition haha).

I’m a man in my early 30s. My girlfriend and I live in the South Bay, and I work up in San Francisco for work/living (and am eager to meet/connect with people in either!).

I had a pretty active social life prior to COVID, and kept up with my closest friends during the pandemic, but I really lost some momentum on the broader social side of things. I’d like to change this! Some things I really like: deep conversations and talking about big ideas, completely meaningless conversations, goofing around/being at play, learning and trying new things, being outdoors, board games, seeing shows/movies/performances.

It’s alright! I have a lot to be thankful for, although I’ve been known to feel a bit lost and/or lonely some days. I’m not currently finding a lot of fulfillment in my career at a big tech company, although I’m really engaged in my hobbies at the moment (creative writing, improv), and I’m trying to figure out how to make it all work.

Hobbies—I’m really interested in storytelling, and it’s something I want to get better at and have been thinking a lot. I love a great story (in movies, books, plays, whatever) and am trying to learn how to create some myself. I try to consume a lot of stories (I read a lot and try to watch at least a movie/week), and as far as creation goes I’m starting with short stories and a bit of improv for now, but who knows where this will go.

Exercise also goes a really long way for me—I’ve been a casual runner for a long time (I love trail running!), and recently started doing some barbell training. I’m an amateur at both and plan on keeping it that way, but they do wonders for my stress/mental health.

Finding more purpose/direction in my life, and making/deepening friendships.

1. Birkenstock Sandals apparently used to sell a skincare line (!!!), but discontinued it

2. Jack Handey will write you funny/nice notes if you buy books from his website (or at least, he did for me)

Mid-30s, pretty settled in my career, and have a fantastic community of friends and family in and outside of the Bay. I'm single, searching for a long-term partner, and am looking to expand my circle/community (in all ways!).

Zooming out, it's pretty good! Sometimes I feel like a kid still, just with more money and responsibilities. I never thought I'd laugh this much as an adult!

I'm quite happy with my day to day life, but when I'm 80 and reflecting on my life, I want to feel fulfilled and content and like I squeezed a lot of love, meaning, gratitude, purpose, and memories into it. So I'm always looking for ways to add more of those things!

Being outside, hiking, cycling, beach volleyball; croissants, berries, pizza, sushi, dark roast coffee; tall mountains + glacial lakes; traveling; finding great bakeries in small little towns; a heavy dose of laughing with friends and family balanced with a few minutes of introvert time per day

Spending meaningful time with family and friends while developing new connections and relationships, including finding a long-term partner.

Seeing the outdoors and exploring new places.

Understanding myself and understanding others. Continuous self-reflection and growth.

I still can't wrap my head around how large the number 52! is (the number of unique ways you can shuffle a deck of cards)