30 mind-expanding life experiences you should get done before you turn 30

Health is hopefully still on your side, and you've still got far fewer career or familial commitments than someone who's just turning 40.

Put simply: Now's the time to tick off some big-hitters on your bucket list.

And it's not all gap years and fine dining. It's worth using this time for some early adult-life breakthroughs, like learning to drive or managing your student debts.

Members of the Business Insider UK office have collaborated to come up with a list of things we are proud to have achieved before hitting the big three-zero, or things we want to do by the time we reach that age. It includes everything from boozy foreign festivals to buying kitchenware that will last.

Scroll on to find out the 30 mind-expanding life experiences you should get done before you turn 30.

Attend a Full Moon Party in Thailand.

Move abroad.

Quit the day job you hate, even if you don't have a backup plan.

"Your 20s are the best time in life to make mistakes with your career. It's almost expected. Now is the time to try something different. Or, most importantly, to really go for your ideal career goal.

"Walking away from your job without a backup plan is one of the scariest things you can do, but your 20s will likely be the last decade in your life where you have the flexibility to get away with it and the least amount to lose.

"The very worst outcome? You end up back where you started: At another day job you hate." — Jim Edwards

Learn to rock climb.

Host a massive dinner party and cook everything yourself.

"You should know how to roast a chicken by the time you're 30. Show off your adult skills by organising and hosting a dinner party." — Dina Spector

Dress up in costume for a midnight film premiere.

"There’s something about the energy of a midnight premiere that makes the experience unforgettable, and dressing up is the best way to be a part of it. Whether it’s simply drawing Harry Potter’s lightning bolt scar on your forehead or wearing a full Batman costume, watching the movie becomes secondary to the spectacle that is the crowd." — Spencer Lambert

Go to Glastonbury.

Take a sabbatical to travel.

Train for a marathon.

Go to Venice.

Learn to fight.

Dine alone at a restaurant (especially without a book or device).

"'Friends' has somehow taught usthat there must be something wrong with people who dine out alone. Sure, it might feel awkward to eat by yourself in silence, but it can also teach you to be comfortable with yourself." – Alex Ma

Get a pet.

Climb the Inca Trail.

Start up a business.

Buy a Le Creuset.

Travel across Europe with no money.

"Whilst at uni, I took part in a charity hitch hike race from London to Prague and we weren't allowed to spend any money on travel. Our small group miraculously managed to make it all the way to Prague within the time frame. It took 4 days and in that time we managed to see London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Prague before getting a flight back to the UK.

"I would stress not to attempt this alone — make sure you're in a good group of people and you have plenty of money between you as a contingency if you get stuck." — Jasper Pickering

Attend a white-tie event.

"Dress smart, be smart. So it follows that the smartest thing you can do is don white tie, the official most formal dress code there is. For men this means a black tailcoat, white waistcoat, dress shirt, and white bow tie. For women, full-length ball gowns. The outfits are very flattering, and the photos will be incredible forever.

"A lot of white tie events — state banquets, the Nobel Prize ceremony, some Oxford and Cambridge balls — are tough to get invited to. But the Vienna Opera Ball sells tickets to the public, so everybody has a shot." — Kieran Corcoran

Mentor or volunteer.

Visit the Grand Canyon.

Pay off your student debt.

"It may not be as glamorous as the Inca Trail or as thrilling as live boxing, but paying off your debts — student loans, bank overdrafts, and credit cards — sets you up later. The fees and interest rates on debt are often far higher than any interest you'd get in property and the stock market, so before you save and invest, clear your debts

Visit all of the world's most prestigious art galleries.

Learn a second language.

"There are so many benefits to learning another language. Discovering new cultures, forming deep connections with people from other countries, and boosting your job and living abroad prospects are just a few.

"They say that aspects of language learning become harder with age so the sooner you start the better, and the longer you’ll have to reap the rewards." — Rosie Fitzmaurice

Quit smoking — including marijuana.

"People who smoke tend to start when they are teenagers or in university. And while you may have started as a 'social smoker,' or someone who just likes the odd cigarette with a drink, if you are still smoking when you hit 30 you have probably now been smoking for a decade. This is bad. You're in serious health risk territory. It's time to stop.

"As for the weed — it was fun while it lasted. But seriously: Marijuana is making you lazy and robbing you of your ambition. Leave it behind." — Jim Edwards

Experience Rio Carnival.

Learn to drive.

Read one book every week.

"Start reading one book every week. Make time, there's always time. I read during my commute. Putting your face in a book is far better than trying to avoid a stranger's morning breath. Plus, you know, you learn things." — Alan Dawson

Eat a Michelin starred meal.

"Your tastes change over time. I used to hate olives and mushrooms when I was younger, for example. So dining out at places you wouldn’t normally try is a great way to experience new flavours.

"In your 20s, a great way to do this is to save up and go somewhere critically acclaimed with a Michelin star or two. If you’re going to experiment, you may as well feel fancy while you do it." — Lindsay Dodgson

Live with a family in another country.

"Hands down the best way to get under the skin of another culture. I did two German exchange programmes at school and learnt more about the country in those two weeks than in years of education. I also spent time with a family in a tiny mining town in Zambia.

"What was scary at first, gave way to a supremely special experience. By the end of the week, the children of the family referred to me as "Uncle Jake" and I had eaten deep-fried caterpillars. Beats an air-conditioned box in a faceless hotel." - Jake Kanter

Own a bespoke outfit.