On Sept. 17, I’ll be turning 20 years old. While I am excited about being an age that doesn’t have the word “teen” in it, that is also why I’m apprehensive. Being 20 means that it’s finally time to grow up, for real. All of the uncertainties that casually got pushed aside and out of mind since my freshman year of high school are now beginning to pop up one by one, like forgotten yet familiar faces from the past. What are my plans post-graduation? I don’t know. What do I want to do for the rest of my life? I don’t know. Where will I be in five years? I don’t have any idea. Who will I be in 10 years? I honestly have no clue.
The truth is that growing up is hard. Figuring out how to be a full-fledged adult isn’t easy. Anyone who senses your nervousness from a mile away will tell you “you still have plenty of time.” But if they honestly believed that, would they ever ask you about what jobs you’ll apply for once you’ve finished school? No. But like I said, I am excited about turning 20. I am also hopeful about the unknown future, and I’m even more optimistic about becoming my own person. I can’t wait to finally be able to answer those questions that I currently avoid answering at all costs. In the end, it’s okay to not have it all figured out right now, because eventually you will and that’s what matters.
