Goodbye to the Teenage Years
A few weeks ago, I blew out the candles, spent time with my friends, said farewell to my teenage years, and celebrated my birthday. Well, not just any birthday. Twenty. 2-0. A graduation from the adolescent years and moving on to the twenties. As I grapple with this change, I have begun to face the realities of growing up, taking my decisions into my own hands, and balancing my responsibilities gracefully while mentally feeling like I’m sixteen on the inside.
As a little girl, I dreamed about being a teenager. Going to prom, having crushes on boys in your class, being a cheerleader, having sleepovers at your friends’ houses, high school drama. I was lucky enough to experience all of this and more, but now, it’s over in the blink of an eye. All I can say is a lot can happen over six years. The nostalgia and bliss of being a teenage girl is something I will cherish and hold onto forever.
Throughout these six years of ‘teenager-hood,’ I’ve watched myself entirely transform, grow up, go from middle school to high school, high school to college, become a sorority woman, and transform into the person I am today. I’ve grown into myself and who I want to become in just six years. This era of my life has helped me shape my values, grow into my personality, and, again, learn a lot.
I’ve learned how to study and prepare for tests. I’ve learned how to put myself first and be selfless and compassionate towards others all at once. I’ve learned how to find your people and keep them in your life. I’ve learned how to deal with confusing emotions and difficult situations. Through all of the mistakes, successes, ups, and downs of the past twenty years, I’ve grown into the person I’ve always wanted to become.
Suddenly, ages thirteen to nineteen passed by in the blink of an eye, and now the feeling of being twenty hit me like a truck. The number two, being first in my age instead of a one, felt like a shock to my entire system, like the feelings of adulthood, responsibility, and big-girl decisions are closing in on me. Is this going to happen every decade?
Yes, it will. Whether from 20 to 30 or 70 to 80, that switch to another number in front of the rest of your age will cause this type of contemplation. Should I be lucky enough to live so many decades, at each decade, I will allow myself to reflect upon the growth and experiences I’ve had in the past ten years, then look forward to the next ten years with excitement and pride.
Twenty years old means twenty years of learning and spending all of the years after growing, changing, and becoming the best version of yourself. Every minute, day, week, month, or year provides the opportunity to learn. Learn from your mistakes, learn from your triumphs, learn from yourself, learn through other people. That’s what growing up is all about.