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It might as well be a proven scientific fact that if you ask any child or
tween, if they wish they could be older, their answer is undoubtedly always
going to be an astonishingly speedy "Yes!" We've all been through it,
the time, or rather age, in our life when you seem to grow with about the speed
of a hung-over snail. Yes, it was extremely painful and extremely hard always
waiting, seeing birthdays go by, yet never seeming to get any closer to the
unattainable goal of adulthood.
Well, I've done it! What seemed impossible has now become a reality. I am no
longer an elementary school child, or heck, even a middle school preteen. I am
officially a double digits teenager! Children of the world, please feel free to
be envious. Well, I must say, those countless years of waiting, wishing, and
hoping were well worth it. However, I have now stumbled upon a newer much
greater problem: not wanting to become an adult. And by saying that, I mean not
even wanting to turn eighteen. Indeed this is a much greater problem. Oh the
irony, no longer do I wish to wake up one morning having magically gained a few
years like it happens in the movies, but now I want my time snail to slow down
and be on an extreme hangover.
I came across this problem a month or so ago, as I lay in bed late at night
reflecting on my life as I sometimes do. This realization both stunned and
panicked me. How had I never thought of this problem before? Where had all the
time gone? Freshman year went by so unbelievably quick that I hardly had time to
just stop and look around. But now, as an incoming sophomore and having had a
few friends graduate, I truly have begun to realize this unfortunate and
depressing dilemma.
But why don't I want to grow up? What is so wrong with going away to
college, getting my own apartment, and well, getting a real world job? Well, in
most people's eyes, absolutely nothing. But to me, everything is wrong. I can't
grow up. I can't go to college. I can't keep an apartment, and I most certainly
cannot have a serious job. I guess to further understand why this is such a huge
problem you should first know a little bit more about me.
Well, when the occasion rises I can be extremely mature, but that's just not
me. I still can't make a bed without the careful assistance of my mother or
father. I surely am not incapable if that is what you are thinking, but I guess
you could say I am the irresponsible type. My room is a mess, I dress like a
teen, I act like a teen, I behave like a teen, and I'm, well, a teen! A teen,
who has absolutely no intention of having to grow up. I don't want to dress
seriously, and I don't want to act seriously (Ha! Me acting seriously? That's a
joke!). I don't want to listen to lame jams in the car with my children asking
to put in their new hip CD which I cannot tolerate. I don't want to have to pick
up coffee for the office and then talk to "Jonathan" about the latest
fax stock report. In fact, to be 100% honest, I don't even know if what I just
said makes any sense, let alone know what it means. No, I want to sit in the
grass with my friends talking about everything, yet meaning absolutely nothing,
I want to catch school football games, and go on trips to the mall knowing I
will be doing absolutely nothing other than loitering with some pals. I want to
sleep in till 3 in summer and weekends, I want to get caught by the hall
monitor, and I want to use the most outrageous eye makeup and most trendy
haircuts and colors---as I usually do. And I want to be able to ignore my faults
without repercussion. In short I want to be able to keep my careless teenage
lifestyle doing countless other things that we teenagers do.
I talked to a few of my friends about this problem. Most agreed with me and
began to panic themselves. Oh boy, looks like this generation really isn't ready
to grow up. I did however speak to one friend who is ready to grow up, and well,
isn't as big a fan of the teenage years as I am. His answer to my problem? A
simple, "Screw society, don't grow up." The answer seemed good enough
at first. It was just what I had wanted to hear. I was happy, for all but a
second until I realized, I was living in a fool's paradise. As appealing as the
answer seemed, there was just no way I could do that. There is just absolutely
no reason for a normal adult to not fall into and conform to society. Such
behavior would be ridiculed, frowned upon, and just plain wrong. There would be
no excuse for me to resist and think I am above the countless others who will
have been forced to grow up. Everyone else can grow up, so why can't I? What is
so bad about just...Growing up and maturing? Something I know I am capable of,
but just don't want to do.
Well, I guess by this point you're probably wondering what a teenager like
me is to do in such a situation. I could try to find Peter Pan and his lost
boys, or better yet, take a shorter trip to Neverland Ranch with everybody's
favorite pop star and just wish and hope with all my might that it will work.
No, I am not going to hang out with Michael in a desperate attempt to retain my
youth. I have realized the only thing to do is just enjoy these last few years
as much as I can. Perhaps I will find a way to elude growing up and falling into
line. It is highly doubtful, but still slightly possible. The truth in it all is
that we all have to face our fears whatever they may be, and I guess I know deep
down that I am capable of going and getting coffee for Jonathan and the team,
making my own bed, and budgeting. In fact, I probably will. I guess this is the
most magical thing about being a youth, you can still dream. |
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