So, I'm turning 18 on Saturday, which is crazy. I'm going to be considered an adult in the eyes on the law, but I still don't even know stuff like how phone bills work, or how to speak to cashiers by myself without getting anxious. I know I'll be mostly fine on my own/when I'm in college, but it's still such a weird thought that I'm about to be the age that when we're young, we only dream of and wish we could skip ahead in time to. Well, I don't necessarily wish that I could go back to being so young that 18 seems impossibly far away, but I am also having trouble with the thought of moving forward with my life. My parents have always been there for me, so what am I supposed to do without them just right downstairs, available whenever I need them?
I'm going to stop thinking about that part of adulthood now, because it's making me very upset, so let's go back to the age 18. Who picked 18 to be the age where we all become "adults"? It's such a strange age because you're still technically a teenager, but you aren't supposed to act like it anymore. Also, I will have the ability to vote in two days (technically one day, since I'm writing this past midnight on 9/25). That is just so strange to me, because I can't legally drink alcohol, but I can help choose the next leader of an entire country? Seems a little strange to me that we're trusting people who aren't even out of high school yet to make such big decisions, but then again, older people haven't really done much for the economy either. I propose that we either lower the legal drinking age, or raise the age required to vote. Ray Scioneaux taught us that the legal drinking age is 21 because our brains don't stop fully developing until age 26 and drinking heavily before that can stunt your brain development, but they know that they can't stop people from drinking before that, so they have a legal age a little bit lower with the hope that people won't feel that 26 is too far away to wait. However, by that logic, if our brains aren't fully developed until 26, that means I have 8 more years until I should be allowed to make a decision as important as voting for our next president.
I was going to relate this to Sing, Unburied, Sing somehow, but it ended up as more of me rambling as I have an existential crisis over turning 18. And that's fine, I'm sure we'll all freak out over this a little when the time comes. Anyway, happy birthday to me. The next time you see me I will technically be an adult. Very strange thought.
5 comments:
Abigail Beck—
I feel the exact same way!! I’m 18 right now, and I can vote. All of a sudden, the choices I make matter more and more. My decisions are starting to matter like those of an adult’s, but I don’t feel like I’m an adult yet. I think what really worries me is that I’ll be off to college soon, and I don’t know how I’ll function on my own. In one year I’ll be in Illinois— almost 1000 miles from home. I’m excited because I’ll be independent and because I have some people I already know there, but I don’t know if I can step up to be who I need to without my parents. I think that the real “coming-of-age time” should be when we go off to college. I think that’s when everything really begins to change.
okay first off, happy early birthday Laura! I hope you have such a great birthday doing all the things you love to do and I guess, all the things eighteen year olds love to do now? I'm not exactly sure where I was going with that but please tell me all about your birthday in advisory on Monday. I really hope you have like the best time. Anyway, I completely agree with everything you're saying. It's really crazy to think that you're considered an adult when you're still technically a teenager? That's never made a lot of sense to me. I'm still 17, but I think about turning 18 all the time. I think it's quite exciting in a lot of ways, like the freedom that comes along with it. On the other hand, I am absolutely terrified and would love to go back to the days of Hannah Montana reruns and Taylor Swift's Fearless album. I just don't think I really know how to be an adult. Like, I feel as if I'm ready to be one? I just don't know how to do it. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I completely relate to not knowing how phone bills work and don't even get me started on taxes. Those scare me. I really don't want to think about leaving my mom either. It's just been me and her for two years now and I don't think I have gone a day without telling her almost every detail of my life. It's going to be weird losing that, but I can't wait to live in a new city! I'm already planning all the outfits in my head. Anyway. I'm not sure where I'm going to end up, but I just hope it will be anything but boring. As scary as it seems, I'm oddly super excited about this new part of our lives. I think right now, these are our lives before we know who we're going to be and, I don't know. I'm really excited to find out who I'm going to be, it's like we're adding a chapter to our own personal story.
I think that it is strange that we can vote before we can drink. Is it just me or does voting seem like a larger decision than drinking? Also, though I am 17, as many of us are in this class, I think that everyone does through that mental OMG I am technically an adult now moment. I definitely thought that when I got my first real job (at Popeyes). I was given a bunch of tax forms to fill out, and now I hope that I filled them out correctly, with the help of my parents, so that I do not have to file my own taxes this year. I also had a (very emotional) moment where I realized that there is a chance that when I leave for college, I will return to a different home in a different part of the country. My dad has thought about testing his call (which for those who don't know, means looking for a new church for an Episcopal priest), and since the house that I have grown up in is owned by the church, it is scary to think that I never will see this house again! It is frightening. I totally agree that turning 18 is a scary milestone, but remember that we're all in this together.
First, happy birthday Laura! Secondly, I wanted to touch on the lowered drinking age. I completely agree; I think if you can die in the military you should be allowed to have a beer. Making it illegal to drink for young people is a lesson we should know from Prohibition. People weren’t allowed to drink, so they drank more. I feel like young teens have the same exact idea. Having it be illegal, makes it way more enticing. I think 18 is a really, really strange age. Some people have had to grow up too quickly and 18 is just another birthday that makes no difference, while others see this as there first steps into adulthood. I’m part of that first category. I just feel like being 18 won’t change a single thing for me because I already feel like an adult, but like you said, it feels overwhelming to you and a lot of other teens. Anyway, I just wanted to comment on the birthday girls post. Welcome to legal age!
I was thinking exactly what Rikki said about the military! I feel like all my life I've just been absorbing the thoughts of people around me, and I haven't really formulate my own opinions. But I suppose that a lot of people believe something just because they were told it or that's what they grew up with. I won't be 18 until the end of this upcoming summer, right before I go to college. It'll be all these life-time events in such a short period. I still feel unready for the world, like you. This is silly, but the first worry that comes to my mind of thinking about living on my own is groceries. First, I'll have to take the time to go to the store, but I also have to figure out what I want to eat for the next week (or more). I try to take things on a day-to-day basis, so what if I decide I want something different? Then I have to go back to the store? Where will this magic time come from? I'm scared I won't know what to do. Surrounded by wiser family members, I have always had guidance. I have learned to hate the phrase "I could have told you that," because it feels like I made an unnecessary mistake. However, I suppose that is the only way we will truly learn and experience life for ourselves. I wish all of us the best of luck in our lives. It'll be weird to think about coming back for our 30 year reunion or something and thinking, "Wow. Remember when we were so young and our biggest worry was our test next period?". We'll just have to handle life as it comes our way, and I think we'll do great.
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