Leaving Teenageland

By: Emily

Graphic by Emily

So, Yesterday I turned twenty years old. While it was nice to hear so many people wish me a happy birthday, when people would ask me how old I was turning, it felt so unnatural to say "twenty."

Two-Zero.

The reason this bothered so much was because I realized that I am no longer a teenager, and I love being a teenager. You can get away with so much stuff as a teenager. No one questions why you stay up until 4 in the morning doing nothing, or asks you why you're acting silly in public places. Your only obligation really is to watch movies with your friends and go for walks and dance on tables. When I was no longer able to order things off the kids menu, it was okay because I still had all the benefits of being a teenager to look forward to. And even when my teenage years were halfway over, I was okay with it because I had this new found sense of freedom from being able to drive. And then I had college to experience after that.

Now two years into college I feel like I've gotten a pretty solid routine down for my life; class, work, friends, with the occasional existential life crisis in between. In many ways, I've already experienced everything I can experience being a teenager. But at the same time there are still so many things I need to do before I run out of time. It's as if the world is saying, "You've had your fun, time to get serious now. What are you going to do with your future?" And I'm not ready. As a teenager, I had time to explore different interests because I did not really know what I wanted to do with my life.

And to be honest I still don't. And I feel behind because of that. I mean, I'm technically an adult now; These are decisions I, as a responsible adult, should be making. Along with filing for taxes and paying rent and all that other boring stuff grownups do.

It also doesn't help thinking about all the amazing things that so many people my age have accomplished already. I mean, Jennifer Lawrence was nominated for her first Academy Award at 22. Mark Zuckerburg created Facebook his Sophomore year of college. And let's not even talk about Forbes' 30 Under 30. I'm not saying I need to win an Oscar or create a multi-billion dollar social networking website within the next two years, but I want to do something great while I still have the resources, drive, and freedom to do so.

And who wouldn't? As Sean Parker inspirationally shouts in The Social Network, "This is our time!" The world is at our fingertips. While I am intimidated by those people that have done so much so young, I know that I will eventually achieve something as amazing as they have. All it takes is time, and just because I work a little slower than they do doesn't mean I won't be just as accomplished. In my short twenty years, I may not know what I want to do, but I know that each passing day is a day I'm closer to achieving my dreams and that they will be something to talk about.