It’s well into 2018, and the world has never felt more expressive. Freedom of speech is becoming more and more alive, new albums by popular artists are beginning to surface, and the world is becoming even more accepting of others.

We are in a time where the world around us is beginning to shift dramatically, and I couldn’t be more excited.

When you first turn 18, new freedoms and experiences begin to surface. You can get a tattoo, you can book a hotel room at certain places, you can buy a pack of cigarettes and metaphorically smoke them (get the "Fault In Our Stars" reference? *winky face*), you can register to vote, and you don’t have a curfew anymore. It’s the most relieving, carefree, and monumental stage in your life that you’ll ever experience.

But, when I turned 18 in March, it felt like so much more than even that. While the new freedoms were a huge plus, it felt like there was something more there besides just simply turning 18. Something bigger. Something better.

It felt like a greater power was bestowed upon me.

In the Roosevelt Row Arts District in Phoenix, Arizona, there is a mural that was put up this year. It’s a set of wings with the words "18 In 2018" placed directly above it. It metaphorically portrays how young adults like me and many others feel to have turned 18 during this year.

The wings mean a lot to me. They represent how much potential and growth I have to come this year. How much I will spread my wings and fly. But, they also represent the power and strength my generation has to offer. As the newest set of people to enter adulthood, we have a lot of control over what we surround ourselves with, whether it’s politically or socially. It’s mind-boggling if you think about it.

I’m getting ready to let my wings fly.

Each day I’ve learned more and more about the things I could do to change the world. From writing, protesting, and even voting. A new chapter has finally unveiled itself, and nothing has ever been the same since.

The thought of turning 18 never crossed my mind as this big amount of freedom. I just thought it would be like how it was in birthdays past. Just another number. Honestly, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

My life has shifted in a whole new direction, and I can’t wait to see where I go from here.