Questions that twenty-somethings dread

From the moment you turn 20 until the moment you leave your 20s and transition into your 30s, there are a number of questions that always make you feel a little nauseous. Because you don't know the answers, don't want to know, or don't want to share. Like these kinds of questions, for example.

How many children do you want later?

My aversion to this question has been discussed in detail here. No one should interfere with whether and when and how many children someone wants to have, but when you're in your twenties, you get bombarded with that question.

Do you already have a nice boyfriend/girlfriend?

And this question has driven me so crazy that I wrote this column about it, and introduced you to the concept of “the look.” Dear people who ask this question: STOP IT NOW.

Do you already know what you're going to do after your studies?

I am lucky that I knew as a child what I wanted to do later (make magazines) and have never deviated from that (even though it's now a digital magazine, maybe you've heard of it, it's called Amayzine.com. HAHA. Okay nevermind). But friends around me are at a loss with their future plans and really have no idea what they are going to do once they graduate. And that's not really a problem, but it is incredibly annoying when everyone around you keeps asking about a matter you have no answer to.

What do you think about [complicated issue of your choice]?

About the refugee debate, about the diesel scandal – just to name something. You really have absolutely no idea what it's about because, um, you're really way too busy studying or partying or recovering from a hangover or just doing everything, but not reading the newspaper.

What are you going to do this weekend?

You're either too busy studying or you have a thousand parties to choose from. Or you just don't know, because like me you have zero fomo and couldn't care less about it all. Moreover, especially during your student life, the distinction between week and weekend isn't that exciting. It's always the weekend. Once you sit in an office five days a week, you long for the free Saturday and Sunday, but when Wednesday can also be Sunday, it's nothing more than terminology.

What are you going to eat tonight?

Uh, no idea? Not? Soup? Or something? During the first years I lived on my own, I survived on toast with salmon and that was fine. Nowadays it's different and I make a three-course dinner for myself every night. Haha no, of course not, I can't cook at all. Friends always bravely say about very easy recipes “that even you can make“, but I have the special talent to even ruin a brown sandwich with cheese.

What kind of insurance do you have?

Hahahaha how the fuck should I know? What is health insurance? Where? Who? No idea.