Navigating Your 20s: Festival of Twenties 2024 Recap

Your 20s are often seen as the “starting line” for real adult life—a time when everything feels new, uncertain, and sometimes overwhelming. Expectations rarely match reality, and you find yourself in the middle of figuring out who you really are. From career choices and relationships to navigating life’s uncertainties, many in this age group feel stuck or unsure about their next steps. But what if all the confusion isn’t the end, but the beginning of something meaningful? 

This blog will take you through why embracing the chaos of your 20s might just be the key to finding clarity, purpose, and even some unexpected friendships along the way.

It all started with my bestie, Najma, asking me to tag along to this event. Now, writing this a day after the event, we both feel super lucky we decided to go. Festival of Twenties was hosted by In Our Twenties with the theme “Work in Progress” at Ciputra Artpreneur, Kuningan, South Jakarta. The theme highlighted the lives of 20s, focusing on four major pillars: career, relationships, life skills, and self-discovery. The goal was to create a space for young people in their 20s to learn, share experiences, and grow together.

Najma and I planned to attend the self-discovery show, but during the ticket war, she accidentally picked the career show. Totally unexpected, especially since we weren’t all that interested in the topic. But everything changed when we actually attended the session. Slowly but surely, the messy thoughts in our heads started to untangle. Questions we’d been stuck on—like “Am I on the right path?” “Does this job align with my passion?” “What if I don’t take this opportunity?”—started to feel clearer. Everything became so much more clear than before.

At the end of the show, Najma and I shook hands and I said, “Thank you, Jem, for accidentally buying the wrong ticket. Turns out this is exactly what we needed.”

Highlights from the Career Show

This show featured six speakers from different career fields, as shown in the image above. They shared so many inspiring stories, but I won’t cover all of them here because there’s just too much to unpack. Instead, I’ll focus on the ones that really stuck with me (not saying the others weren’t inspiring, though!).

I was a bit late getting into the venue because of the ticket and merch line, so I missed the mini theater that kicked off the career show. The show was opened by Yasa Singgih, a young entrepreneur who made it to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs in Asia when he was just 20, pretty amazing, right? Please don’t judge me, I didn’t actually check the list of speakers beforehand, so I was pretty surprised when these incredible people showed up. He shared his journey of building a business, even going into 1.5 billion IDR debt, draining his savings to zero, and downsizing his team to just two people. Because of that, he went through a lot of stress and gained over 100kg. He mentioned how he used to get so caught up in the label of being a “successful entrepreneur” and a “CEO” that when his work fell apart, he thought his life was over. He only saw himself through that one part of his life. But then he reflected on that “failure” label and managed to bounce back. The fact that he didn’t choose to give up was honestly inspiring to me. I can’t imagine being in his shoes—I’m not sure I’d have the strength to get through all that.

He made me realize that as human beings, we have so many roles not just the “entrepreneur” label but also “child,” “friend,” “leader at work,” “husband/wife,” “father/mom.” The person he thought failed as an “entrepreneur” was actually a “son” who was devoted to his parents, a “father” who didn’t fail in supporting his child’s growth, and so much more. This is what it means to see ourselves holistically, something I hadn’t fully realized before. It hit me that just because we fail in one role, like in work or something else, it doesn’t mean we fail in all the other roles we play. I might fail as a “job seeker,” but I won’t fail as a “friend” who’s always there to listen to my friends’ stories and rants. At the end, he said, “You may lose some battles but still win the war. Never judge your life by your twenties. It’s not the end, it’s just the beginning.” Ah, this is exactly the kind of thing I’ve been searching for.

The next speaker who really stuck with me was Wira Nagara, someone I already knew because of his job as a stand-up comedian. I was kinda surprised when he showed up because I thought he'd be in a different session. Turns out, he was here for the career show. His story was super interesting, starting off with some hilarious riddles (obviously, he's a comedian) and moving into some pretty absurd yet super inspiring stories. 

It all started when he decided to take on some side gigs in college, even though he wasn't really an expert in any of them. But there was one moment when he was sure that he wanted to dive into stand-up comedy and become a writer. From there, a bunch of opportunities came his way, connecting him with so many people and introducing him to worlds he never thought he'd be a part of. With his "let's just go for it" mindset, he ended up having some pretty wild stories. Like how his friend Fiersa Besari invited him to work on a project, or his bad luck when traveling to Vietnam, where he got scammed the minute he arrived. Even on the day of this event, he had more bad luck, getting stuck in the venue's emergency staircase.

He wrapped it up with, "Don’t hesitate to take a chance, no matter how dumb it seems." And that’s when I realized that life in your 20s is all about trying everything, grabbing every opportunity. It's okay to experience some failures or bad luck because life doesn’t end there. Actually, those failures are the things that push us to rise and keep going through this crazy journey.

After Wira, the speaker who truly touched me and brought me to tears was Galih Sulistyaningra. Galih’s story was a surprise highlight. Growing up in a family of educators, with both parents as teachers, she was initially reluctant to follow that path. But life had other plans, and she ended up studying Primary School Teacher Education (PGSD), despite not being passionate about it at first.

In her third semester, she couldn’t pay her tuition fees. When she reached out to her dad, a school principal at the time, his harsh response became a turning point for her. She started teaching extra lessons for international school students from wealthy families, which was prestigious and paid well. But she felt empty and became increasingly aware of the education gap between the rich and the poor.

Galih went on to become an LPDP awardee for her Master's at UCL in UK, where she focused on educational learning. After studying educational policy, she realized that real change starts from the grassroots level. She then decided to teach in a primary school while applying for civil servant positions. Now, through social media and @smartickindonesia, she’s making an impact. Galih’s story is a powerful reminder that life’s unexpected turns can lead us to a purpose greater than we imagined. Her journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the belief that we can all create meaningful change. 

The last speaker who really opened my eyes to my own dreams was Vicario Reinaldo. He talked about career paths in a way that gave me a clearer vision of my own dreams. It started with a question: how clear is the path you're currently on? We were asked to pick a number from 1-4: 1 meant "I'm lost," 2 meant "I'm lost but don't know why," 3 meant "I think this is the path I want but I'm still unsure," and 4 meant "I'm sure about the path I've chosen." From there, he broke down each option and shared his own career journey, explaining the three big opportunities he had and why he chose one. He also asked us to think about our own dreams with more clarity, and that's when the tangled thoughts in my head started to straighten out.

His closing words really hit home: “Your career goal doesn’t have to be ambitious, glamorous, or prestigious. But it has to be yours.” This made me realize that my dreams don't have to look like anyone else's to be valuable. As long as they are mine, that’s enough. Vicario’s talk reminded me that the path to fulfillment is personal, and it’s okay to embrace the journey that truly speaks to my heart.

Experience Area Highlights

Besides the awesome speakers, the festival also had an experience area with a bunch of booths, each with its own theme. Sorry if one booth doesn't have a photo, I didn't get the chance to snap it. But, here’s the list:

Memory Drop Off  

Got some old stuff with memories attached? It’s time to drop by this booth. You can bring any old item you’re ready to leave behind, but make sure it’s still usable. Write a little note on it about the memories tied to that item. This booth is partnered with @ayobantucom, a trusted donation platform that bridges kindness to those in need. With Ayobantu, your items will be passed on through GriefTalk.id, turning into a new chapter for someone else. Leave it behind, share the story. Because sometimes, letting go is the start of something beautiful.

Cloud of Kindness

Here, you’ll find paper and pens to write wishes or motivational letters for strangers. If writing isn't your thing, you can just read the notes already hanging in the booth. You might find that these messages remind you you’re not alone in your struggles, and they could inspire you to reflect on life’s deeper meaning. So, write it and make others realize it.

Craft & Carry

At this booth, you can color your tote bag (you get it when you trade in your wristband) and make friendship bracelets. The tote bag you color or the bracelet you create here isn’t just a random item, it’s a memory you can carry with you. Maybe a few months later, you'll look at that tote bag and think, "Ah, that’s when I decided to just chill for a bit and have fun." Or maybe that bracelet becomes a reminder of all the friendships you made.

Snackmates

Your 20s are full of simple but meaningful convos. Snackmates is here to help you step out of your comfort zone, chat with new people, and maybe make unexpected connections. Just show a half or quarter-heart voucher. For the half-heart, find one person to share an ice cream and chat. For the quarter-heart, find three others to complete it, and get popcorn to share while you chat. It’s a fun way to break the ice and make new friends without any pressure.

Dear Me

When’s the last time you had a chat with yourself? At this booth, pause, reflect, and listen to what you need. There's a magic mirror where you can record a 1-minute message to yourself. Afterward, the organizers will send it to your email as a reminder when you need some motivation. Plus, you can snap a pic as a keepsake. It's a great way to check in with yourself and give yourself the love you deserve.

Ready, Set, Match!

This booth is perfect for anyone who's single and open to a relationship. Just show up, say "Hey, I want to find a partner!" and step into a booth where you can't see each other. You’ll get 1-2 minutes to chat, with some questions provided to help you along. If you feel a connection, press the green button to keep chatting, but if not, hit the red button and get reshuffled. Who knows, you might just meet the person you've been looking for!

The Buzz Spot

After hearing stories from speakers, head to the Buzz Spot to have fun, intimate discussions with people in their 20s. This is where you can share ideas and meet new people, maybe even find someone in your field or dealing with the same stuff. It's a space to connect and vibe over topics that matter to you.

To top it all off, the experience area wasn’t just about the themed booths, it also featured sponsor booths offering a range of delicious food and drinks to keep everyone fueled and ready to explore more. Whether you were craving a quick snack or something refreshing to sip on, these booths had you covered. There was also an official merchandise booth filled with exclusive festival merch, from T-shirts and tote bags to unique collectibles that made for perfect keepsakes. 

A Chance Encounter

Through this event, I ended up meeting a few people, especially Azizah. We crossed paths while I was waiting at the Craft & Carry booth. After introducing ourselves, we had a quick chat, and guess what? She’s from Padang! I was totally shocked when she told me she made a stopover in Jakarta just to attend this event before heading to Bali to visit her sibling who's studying there. 

As we talked for a few minutes, turns out we had a lot in common! We both love the color black, we were both born in 2001, and  we’re both dealing with thesis life (I’m in the middle of mine, and she just finished hers). Like, what are the odds, right? We ended up following each other on Instagram. I really hope we get to meet again someday because from what I saw on her Instagram, she’s super active and inspiring—especially with the stuff she’s working on for her psychology thesis. 

Why This Festival Is Perfect for Your 20s?

This festival is a must-attend for anyone in their 20s because it resonates with the very essence of this phase of life—growth, exploration, and self-discovery. Unlike other events, it’s designed to meet you right where you are: at the crossroads of uncertainty and opportunity. Whether you're figuring out your career, navigating relationships, or simply seeking clarity amidst the chaos, this festival provides a safe and inspiring space to do so.

The speakers don't just offer advice; they share stories that make you feel seen and understood, reminding you that your struggles are valid and your dreams are worth pursuing. The themed booths offer interactive experiences that are equal parts fun and thought-provoking, from letting go of the past at Memory Drop Off to finding new connections at Snackmates.

This isn’t just another event—it’s a transformative experience that empowers you to embrace the messy, unpredictable beauty of your 20s. It’s a reminder that every step, even the uncertain ones, is part of your journey. If this festival happens again, don’t miss the chance to be part of something that could genuinely change the way you see yourself and your future.