Here are some things everyone should experience once in their lifetime
If there’s one thing human beings all have in common, it’s our shared impermanence. No matter our race, gender, social class, wealth status, health regimen, moral code, political leaning, or any other divisive element, we all get one life. One life to hopefully fill with as many memorable, soul nourishing, expansive experiences as possible.
But let’s face it, there are more experiences available that there are days and hours in which to do them. Therefore, we have to use discernment. So, which experiences are truly must-haves in our all-too-limited time on this planet?
The answers to this question are undoubtedly personal, but perhaps some things, just like the inevitable exit of mortal coil, are universal.
According to a recent discussion on Ask Reddit, here are things one must absolutely “experience at least once in their lifetime”:"Living Alone"
Living alone doesn't have to be lonely.
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“People should know how it feels to live alone. Go out to eat alone. Do things alone. Not depend on others for your happiness but find it alone. It is a true under valued life skill,” one person wrote.
Others chimed in:
“I agree. I've lived alone like 3 times as an adult, and while I prefer companionship, being alone can be nice too. Everything is always where you put it. The place is a mess? My fault. The place looks good and is comfortable? My fault.”
“After a while the silence becomes a beautiful reprieve from the world. I used to hate being alone and now I love silence and only being responsible for myself.”
“Being comforted without having to ask for it.”
We all deserve comfort.
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This one inspired two to share their own touching stories unexpected comfort in a time of need:
“Our newborn went to ICU straight after birth, long story, but he was teetering on life and death. What should've been a joyous occasion turned out to be the most emotionally painful experience of my life.”
“The barista in the hospital coffee shop saw that I wasn't doing well, and made a note on my coffee saying ‘you'll make it.’ Writing this brings me to tears 2 years later, but he was right.”
“A best friend who sees you through thick and thin.”
This is your reminder to hug your bestie today
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Oy, this one. Romantic partnerships are absolutely wonderful, but platonic friendships are just as important. Many would agree that they’re more important than relationships. And while making friendships as an adult can get a little challenging, the immense benefits these bonds bestow onto our lives make it worth the effort.
One person shared, “I consider my wife my best friend, and it's true…That being said, there is a part of me that will always feel a little hollow: I have no pure friendships…I've always had an easy time meeting people and even starting new friendships but God am I poor at keeping it going. Now that I'm older it's a real regret of mine and I envy those with tight knit friends.”
“I’m glad you and your wife have such a strong friendship connection! But yes pure friendships are special too, and hard to maintain,” another responded. “I’m lucky that I met my best friend of 22 years in kindergarten and we’re still incredibly close. I’ll be her maid of honor in her wedding🥲I’ll be forever grateful of the space she’s given me to grow and change throughout our lives and stuck by me the whole time.”
"A deep bond with an animal."
The best thing about being human is being human with an animal
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This comment says it all:
“Nothing like it. It truly blows my mind how much my dogs love my wife and I. Were their whole world. Anytime I hear of someone having to put their animal down. I can’t help but get choked up and sad for them.The worst part about the whole thing is them not being able to truly understand in words what they mean to you.”
“See a solar eclipse”
Definitely go see, but look look at it directly!
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Luckily, the next opportunity for this is coming up on April 8th! Especially for those who live in Texas, Illinois, New York, Arkansas, Ohio, Maine and some parts of Michigan and Tennessee
“A soul crushing customer service job”
Not the most fun one, but still a valuable experience
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“Not because it builds character, but because it’ll foster a sense of empathy for and camaraderie with people who serve you when you’re the customer.”
Yes. That.
“Walking the beach at night. Ocean breeze and crashing waves are life changing.”
“Showering with a shaved head.”
“Skydiving! It's so freeing and amazing.”
“Waking up next to their partner and being overcome with love and emotion for them. Watching them sleep for a few moments and then going back to sleep.”
And of course, everyone needs to go to the Grand Canyon. Or at least some national park. There are so many gorgeous, otherworldly ones to choose from.
Nature is always a valuable experience.
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Interesting enough, someone previously posted this question to Reddit, and got an entirely different set of answers. Again, goes to show that everyone is bound to have a different view on this, based on their own lifetime of experiences.
Which brings up the most important question of all:
What do you want to experience in your lifetime?- People are sharing things they're weirdly finicky about and finding out they're not alone ›
- People share their biggest job 'oopsies' and it's a celebration of human imperfection at work ›
- People share society's biggest scams and honestly, they've got a point ›
- People reveal the dark thoughts they won't say out loud - Upworthy ›
- People living alone share their best tips for saving money - Upworthy ›
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids… 
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie? 
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."