Hello friends. My name is Drew Hastings. I am 20 years old and trying to live the best life that I can. So far, I think I’m doing a pretty good job.
I’m writing this because I hate introducing myself. I am a reserved person by nature, meaning that I am slow to open up to people. In simpler words, I’m shy. I’ve always been shy and known this about myself but it can be frustrating when I am trying to meet new people and make friends.
For instance, I just moved to Colorado on a whim without knowing anyone before I moved. I put myself in a situation where I need to meet people. (By the way, I don’t regret it at all.) It takes a while before I start feeling comfortable around a person or a group of people. Once I get comfortable, then I open up and start to show who I really am.
But talking about being shy isn’t why I’m writing this. I’m writing this because I think I’m an interesting person. Maybe that sounds a little narcissistic (and it kind of is) but when being shy hides how interesting I am, I worry that people won’t take the time to get to know me. So that’s the real reason that I’m writing this: so you can get to know me.
I Didn’t Go To College
Why am I interesting? One thing that sets me apart is that I didn’t take the normal path of most people my age. Most people leave high school and go directly to college. I didn’t. Instead I went straight into the workforce.
A question I get asked a lot is why. Well, good question, thanks for asking. College is a lot of money and from my experience, there are plenty of jobs that don’t require a degree. Plus, when I graduated high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. To be honest, I still don’t. Why spend thousands of dollars on college for a degree that I might not even use? I have some pretty strong thoughts about college, but I’ll save that for another time.
By not going to college, I was able to jump into the workforce and gain valuable experience. I know what it is like to work full time jobs, both good and bad. This has given me time to figure out where work needs to be prioritized amongst the other aspects of my life.
Also by not going to college, I had the time and mental capacity to pursue hobbies that I might not have had the time for otherwise. For example, this blog that you’re reading right now. Also, photography, video production, music production, travel, being a wedding DJ, being a roller coaster enthusiast, as well as growing closer to God through all of it.
While on the subject of hobbies, let’s talk about some of the big ones.
I Hope To Achieve F.I.R.E.
What is F.I.R.E.? It stands for financial independence, retire early. I am by no means the most qualified person to talk about this but I’ll give a brief rundown.
The first part is financial independence. This basically means having no debt. Yet another reason that I didn’t go to college. Being financially independent could mean avoiding debt. An example would be forgoing a car loan and instead buying a used vehicle with cash.
With that in mind, I understand that sometimes debt can be a good thing if used properly. Certain college degrees can only be achieved through debt for the average person. And if these student loans are utilized properly, it could lead to a well paying job with the intentions of paying off the loans as fast as possible. In this case, it takes money to make money.
For now I am debt free. I hope to keep it that way but at some point I am probably going to want a house. For this I will most likely need a loan. It could be considered an essential purchase but the important part is to pay off the loan as soon as possible.
The second part of the F.I.R.E. movement is retiring early. This is the part that I work actively to achieve. Sure I’m young, but the math says that the earlier you start, the better. For more information on this and what it takes to retire, I recommend reading this article. It details the numbers needed to retire and also how to live during retirement.
So yeah, in a way I enjoy finances. Go ahead, call me weird.
I Actively Practice Photography
If you’ve followed me on Instagram or Facebook you’ve most likely seen some of my photos. Because I take a lot. But this hobby of mine has opened lots of doors.
Photography has given me a new perspective on life. It challenges me to do things that I wouldn’t have done previously. Frequently I will pull off on the side of the road to snap a picture of something that catches my eye. Or I’ll wake up earlier than normal to go take pictures of the sunrise. When I travel I might leave the comfortable hotel room and instead walk around with my camera in the hopes of finding a gem.
I Have a Travel Blog
While on the subject of photography, let’s talk about this blog. I started this as a way to share not just my photos but the experiences that go with them. And sure, blogs may be a dying breed but it is still a platform for me to share my life.
Before I moved to Colorado, I was in a weird spot socially. My friends had all graduated high school like I did. Unlike most of them, I never went to college (see above section). I bring this up because making friends became difficult.
I longed to go on adventures with friends but I didn’t have many (or any at times). So I started this blog as a way to share my adventures. Plus, it was a way for me to combine some of my hobbies: photography, writing, and technology.
In a way, this blog was my friend. It was who I shared my life with. You can think of it like a journal to the world.
And as the “travel blog” implies, I like to travel. Currently, I am writing this from an apartment in Nicaragua (stay tuned for the full story). Our world is so big and there is so much of it that I still haven’t seen. Be assured that there is still much more to come in terms of this blog.
I DJ Weddings
Why a DJ? Well, I love music and I grew up in the wedding industry so it was kind of a no brainer. My dad operates a wedding venue meaning I saw countless weddings. That, combined with my desire for F.I.R.E., made it an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
I thoroughly enjoy being a wedding DJ. The atmosphere, the fast pace, the ability to apply my wedding knowledge, and just having fun. It’s a great side gig. I haven’t done any weddings since I moved to Colorado but I hope to soon.
And There Ya Go
I’m sure that there are plenty more hobbies and unique traits that I forgot to mention. Lots that I didn’t go into detail about. Maybe I will in future blog posts.
In a way I pride myself that I am not defined by one singular title. I’ll probably never be the World’s Best [insert title here] but that has never been my goal. My goal has been to live my life to the fullest while fulfilling God’s greater purpose.
Success to me is making positive impacts on people’s lives. Whether that is something small like giving a smile to many people or something big like being there for someone when they need it most.
So, yeah. I like to think I’m unique. And sure, I may be shy, but if you take the time to get to know me, odds are you’ll be stuck with a lifelong friend. It just takes time for me to warm up to you. That’s all.
With that said, consider me introduced. If you still have questions for me, leave a comment. There is still a lot that I left out of this. Or feel free to introduce yourself to me. Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a little, God bless, and go live your Enthused Life.
