The "30 Before 30" Midterm Report
the good kind of midterms I hope
Two Saturdays ago was my half birthday and I didn’t receive a single half birthday text. Don’t think I didn’t notice. This momentous and critically important personal holiday also marks six months into my 30th lap around the sun, and six months into my attempt period for the “30 before 30” list.
Today, I’m checking in on my progress and reflecting on how helpful this list has been so far. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I highly recommend reading the original post for some crucial context.
After haphazardly jotting the list down, I eventually sorted it into four distinct categories to help my brain stay organized.
Category 1: Climbing
Rock climb in Yosemite
Go on one of these women’s climbing trips
Climb the East Buttress on Mt. Whitney
Spend a weekend outdoor climbing in West Virginia ✅
Climb a multi-pitch climbing route
Progress report:
Okay, admittedly, this was the most ambitious category—and it shows. I haven’t made much headway here, but in my defense, it was mostly winter from September to now. I’m hoping to knock off a few of these over the summer.
Also, I’m planning to update the second item. Upon review, those women’s climbing trips aren’t my vibe (the yoga-to-climbing ratio is wildly off, and there’s no lead climbing!). TBD on the replacement.
Category 2: Hiking/Backpacking
Go on a backpacking trip
Do Old Rag with Ryan ✅
Backpack (or hike individually) Virginia’s Triple Crown (McAfee Knob, Tinker Cliffs, and Dragon’s Tooth)
Progress report:
Just 1/3 here, but this feels extremely doable. I’m planning a backpacking trip in late September, which is technically after my birthday—but I’m counting it. I still want to do the Triple Crown, so I just need to carve out a weekend this spring.
These still feel fun and aligned with what I enjoy doing.
Category 3: Traveling
Travel to Guatemala and hike a volcano ✅
Visit Humboldt, CA & surrounding forests
Go to a new national park
Visit Asheville, NC
Spend a weekend in Woodstock, VT ✅
Visit Hood River, OR ✅
Progress report:
Solid progress here. Guatemala was incredible—even if I did turn around after 0.75 miles on the volcano hike (story time). Woodstock was an adventure, punctuated by my “return” to skiing after 21 years (story time). And Hood River? 10/10. Amazing food, friends, and views.
Trips to Humboldt (July) and Asheville (June) are already booked. As for the national park… I’m optimistic I’ll stumble into one before September 15—unless Trump has eliminated them all by then.
Category 4: Miscellaneous
Run a half marathon ✅
Get a new tattoo ✅
Take tennis lessons
Dye my hair blonde-ish ✅
Do a color analysis ✅
Go on a Kara Duval retreat (alternatively a LYT retreat)
See Fitz swim (or try to swim) ✅
See a broadway show in NYC ✅
Bike the Arlington loop ✅
Host a powerpoint party
Check fertility
Plan outdoorsy 30th birthday weekend (cabin thing?)
Have a dermatologist check my moles
Read at least ten books from this list
Go white water rafting
Run an easy trail race
Progress report:
This is a hefty category, but I’ve made great headway. I was supposed to run an “easy” trail race last weekend, but when I made this list I didn’t know I’d fracture my fibula in December. Some items are evergreen and thus trickier to prioritize, and some are dependent on other people, like attending a Range or LYT retreat. Tennis lessons are within reach; I just need to secure a coveted spot on the Arlington County beginner list.
Also, I’m officially not invested in reading ten books from the NYT list. I’m in an anti-literary fiction phase. Give me romance or give me death. Everything else still feels fun and doable.
Final Reflection
Biggest takeaway? This list has been a surprisingly helpful prioritization tool—as long as you’re flexible enough to update it as life evolves. I’m not tying my self-worth to checking every box. If I complete it all, great. If not, I still had a banger year.
The list is taped to my fridge, and I like glancing at it while my tea water boils—just to remind myself of everything I still get to do. And honestly, I’m not dreading a single thing on it, which is a good sign that I picked 30 solid activities to begin with.
