The best part about your 20s is that you can recover quickly from the inevitable mistakes you'll make as you figure out how to make it in the real world.
That said, there are some poor choices that have lasting effects, like not starting to save money, that are easily avoidable.
We've sorted through a variety of advice from entrepreneurs and writers on Quora and found recurring themes.
Here are the worst mistakes 20-somethings would be wise to avoid as they establish their professional and personal lives.
They think education and talent are enough to become successful.
High intelligence, natural talent, and degrees from elite universities are all good things to have, but they do not guarantee that you will land a great job — and they mean nothing when not paired with hard work.
"I spent my 20s in corporate environments, and I remember them for working nights and weekends," says Sylvie di Giusto, the founder of Executive Image Consulting. "Sweat, hassle, pain, as well as diligence, perseverance, and an enormous amount of effort and energy characterize my career at this point. I've learned that there are very little short cuts when it comes to career success. Success doesn't 'just happen.' Never."
They neglect their health.
As you get older, you'll learn pretty quickly you can't party like you did in college. "Your hangovers will be so bad at 28 that the idea of staying out drinking all night will be hilarious to you,"Meggie Sutherland Cutter writes on Quora. And the more years out of school you get, the more excessive drinking, smoking, and even an unhealthy diet go from acceptable behavior to dangerous habits.
Communications professor Michael Weston says 20-somethings also need to pay attention to their mental health, since any potential issues usually arise in your 20s.
They don't start saving money.
A recent survey of 1,003 people from Bankrate found that 69% of those ages 18-29 had no retirement savings at all. Your retirement may seem far off, but you're doing yourself a major disservice if you don't recognize the importance of saving as soon as possible.
Entrepreneur Aditya Rathnam says there's no need to start investing too much, since you're just starting out, but it's essential to take advantage of your company's 401k matching program, if one is available, and/or open a Roth IRA account.
They equate happiness with money.
Prestige and a fat paycheck can certainly make you happier, but there's plenty more to success than that, says Joe Choi on Quora.
You're setting yourself up for years of regret if you pursue a paycheck rather than your passion.
They give up when things get tough.
Ending a serious relationship, getting fired from a job, and having your startup crash and burn can all seem devastating when they happen to you for the first time. But rather than giving up or aiming for a lower target the next time, you should use failures as opportunities to learn and improve yourself.
"Getting fired and waking up the next day as usual made me realize that failure isn't the end of the world," says Quora user Carolyn Cho. "Getting dumped taught me the difference between a good and a bad relationship, something I already knew inside but refused to accept until the bad relationship was over."
They let others define them.
When you're starting out in your career and unsure of which direction you want to head in, you can be susceptible to letting others choose your path for you. I