What is Being Adult? - Little Rant
Aug 4, 2016 22:09:35 GMT -5
d a y d r e a m ✪, Penguin ~ ❄, and 3 more like this
Post by Jules Sanchez on Aug 4, 2016 22:09:35 GMT -5
As I grow older and the pressure to morph into what society wants me to become grows higher, I start to wonder...what exactly is being adult?
Throughout our lives, there is always that person that is telling us to "grow up" when we do something that they don't approve of. Whenever you seem to have the most fun, there is always that person that tells you to act your age. There is always someone telling you to "be the bigger person" whenever there is an argument. No matter what you do in life, it seems that there is always someone telling you to grow up, act your age, and stop being so "immature."
As I grow older and I become a young adult, I start to realize that I am no longer young. In fact, my youth is fading away as the days go by and it is slowly becoming more and more obvious that I have to start thinking about careers, bills, buying a car, and perhaps even finding someone to marry in the not-so distant future. Though on the outside I look not a day past twelve, my mentality and experiences says differently. I'm far from the young girl that once walked into high school swearing that she would never drink or try anything that could get her in trouble. The same girl that once believed that life was black and white and things were so innocent. The girl who thought that if you did the things that were once frowned upon you that you were suddenly a bad, mean and evil person. The confusion that was once caused when she met a friend who had everything in common with her except for the fact that she smoked? When suddenly if you weren't like the rest, you were left behind and considered a child. An innocent, inexperienced child by your peers- even if it wasn't true. Is being an adult participating in the things that spit upon the innocence that you once had? Is being an adult sneaking out at night to go party? Is being an adult speeding with your parent's Mercedes while under some sort of influence? Is being an adult trying different substances that aren't considered legal?
As high school ended and I entered my first year of university, I entered another universe. A world in which the people who did those bad things were laughed at, shunned, or suddenly not viewed quite as "cool" as before. It was soon considered cool to not wear a low-cut shirt but to dress stylish and appropriate. Gone were the too-tight tank tops, replaced with business casual attire. As a girl that loved sweatpants, suddenly I was in the outs again. It was cool to get good grades, to achieve as much as possible, and become the perfect example of a human being. There was still partying, but it didn't hold the same kind of social status it once had. There wasn't people left out because they "weren't cool", we were suddenly on the same playing ground. It suddenly became important to be able to take care of yourself and maintain certain types of conversations. And suddenly I felt pressured by my peers again, not to be bad, but to be like them. To dress like them, act like them, and be able to "keep up with them".
As I came home from the summer, I ran into another dilemma. The pressure from my own family. A sister who is 25 and my parents. The expectations on me suddenly began to change. I started to be told to "grow up" more and more. As they start to say it- I start to question everything I do and if I really am what they call an "adult". I get anxiety due to driving, I can hardly cook, and I still hold the pipe dreams of achieving more with my life than the marriage, two kids, and white picket fence in the suburbs. When I talked about my interests, especially those that hold dear to my heart...it's no longer met with understanding but more judgement. It raised more dilemma inside of me, is everything I've ever been doing and believed in wrong? Am I suddenly less than a person because I'm not who they expect me to be?
So what exactly is being grown up? Is it being able to pay the bills and make a fancy steak dinner? Yes and no. Being an adult is about being able to sustain yourself in this crazy world. But in my opinion, it is more than that. Being an adult is staying true to yourself despite all the challenges that are brought upon you. Being an adult is looking at the situations ahead of you and considering all the options before acting. Being an adult is treating others they way you want to be treated because that's the way it should have always been. Being an adult is realizing that life is not some "highlight reel" but a mixed up ride of ups, downs, and boring days- and that's perfectly okay. Being an adult is looking at your past mistakes and learning from them. Being an adult means that you are able to be proud of what you enjoy, without worrying about the judgement of others. Being an adult is accepting your flaws. Being an adult is being humble about what makes you so incredible. Being an adult is looking at your world, your life, and all that has happened and is going to happen to you and suddenly being okay with it, no matter what may have and will happened.
Being an adult is taking who you are- every last bit of you and just embracing the hell out of it.
Throughout our lives, there is always that person that is telling us to "grow up" when we do something that they don't approve of. Whenever you seem to have the most fun, there is always that person that tells you to act your age. There is always someone telling you to "be the bigger person" whenever there is an argument. No matter what you do in life, it seems that there is always someone telling you to grow up, act your age, and stop being so "immature."
As I grow older and I become a young adult, I start to realize that I am no longer young. In fact, my youth is fading away as the days go by and it is slowly becoming more and more obvious that I have to start thinking about careers, bills, buying a car, and perhaps even finding someone to marry in the not-so distant future. Though on the outside I look not a day past twelve, my mentality and experiences says differently. I'm far from the young girl that once walked into high school swearing that she would never drink or try anything that could get her in trouble. The same girl that once believed that life was black and white and things were so innocent. The girl who thought that if you did the things that were once frowned upon you that you were suddenly a bad, mean and evil person. The confusion that was once caused when she met a friend who had everything in common with her except for the fact that she smoked? When suddenly if you weren't like the rest, you were left behind and considered a child. An innocent, inexperienced child by your peers- even if it wasn't true. Is being an adult participating in the things that spit upon the innocence that you once had? Is being an adult sneaking out at night to go party? Is being an adult speeding with your parent's Mercedes while under some sort of influence? Is being an adult trying different substances that aren't considered legal?
As high school ended and I entered my first year of university, I entered another universe. A world in which the people who did those bad things were laughed at, shunned, or suddenly not viewed quite as "cool" as before. It was soon considered cool to not wear a low-cut shirt but to dress stylish and appropriate. Gone were the too-tight tank tops, replaced with business casual attire. As a girl that loved sweatpants, suddenly I was in the outs again. It was cool to get good grades, to achieve as much as possible, and become the perfect example of a human being. There was still partying, but it didn't hold the same kind of social status it once had. There wasn't people left out because they "weren't cool", we were suddenly on the same playing ground. It suddenly became important to be able to take care of yourself and maintain certain types of conversations. And suddenly I felt pressured by my peers again, not to be bad, but to be like them. To dress like them, act like them, and be able to "keep up with them".
As I came home from the summer, I ran into another dilemma. The pressure from my own family. A sister who is 25 and my parents. The expectations on me suddenly began to change. I started to be told to "grow up" more and more. As they start to say it- I start to question everything I do and if I really am what they call an "adult". I get anxiety due to driving, I can hardly cook, and I still hold the pipe dreams of achieving more with my life than the marriage, two kids, and white picket fence in the suburbs. When I talked about my interests, especially those that hold dear to my heart...it's no longer met with understanding but more judgement. It raised more dilemma inside of me, is everything I've ever been doing and believed in wrong? Am I suddenly less than a person because I'm not who they expect me to be?
So what exactly is being grown up? Is it being able to pay the bills and make a fancy steak dinner? Yes and no. Being an adult is about being able to sustain yourself in this crazy world. But in my opinion, it is more than that. Being an adult is staying true to yourself despite all the challenges that are brought upon you. Being an adult is looking at the situations ahead of you and considering all the options before acting. Being an adult is treating others they way you want to be treated because that's the way it should have always been. Being an adult is realizing that life is not some "highlight reel" but a mixed up ride of ups, downs, and boring days- and that's perfectly okay. Being an adult is looking at your past mistakes and learning from them. Being an adult means that you are able to be proud of what you enjoy, without worrying about the judgement of others. Being an adult is accepting your flaws. Being an adult is being humble about what makes you so incredible. Being an adult is looking at your world, your life, and all that has happened and is going to happen to you and suddenly being okay with it, no matter what may have and will happened.
Being an adult is taking who you are- every last bit of you and just embracing the hell out of it.
I wrote that so randomly, I'm glad people actually like it!