18.
18 years old and expected to know exactly what you want to do with your life.
But let's go back.
16.
16 years old when you sat down with your high school guidance counselor and she asked you what you want to do with your life.
16.
16 years old when you told her you wanted to be a famous model.
16.
16 years old and you got an, "oh."
16.5.
16 and a half and you've been attempting to balance ACT practice, homework, projects, sports, and in depth research about careers in fashion while simultaneously pushing down your dreams into a dark corner.
17.
17 years old and a world renowned agency scouts you to come to New York.
17 years old and life couldn't get better. Your dreams are directly before you. Within centimeters of your grasp.
17.
17 years old when your dreams are crushed directly in front of your eyes because 5'8" girls are "ok" but 5'10" girls can do "everything."
17.5.
17 and a half when you buck up a bit.
You realize you can't dwell on the past. You have college to prepare for. You can infiltrate the fashion system. You are not going to give up.
17 and a half and you are accepted into fashion design school.
17 and a half and your eyes get a bit teary as you worked so hard for this.
18.
18 years old and you say good bye to Mom and Dad in your new 11'x15' home.
18 years old and you dive into fashion design school head first and give everything your all and make amazing new friends and get frustrated at the sewing machine and spend hours trying to draw that perfect model body and research new trends and draw digital flats and accidentally spend far too much money on fabric and you work and work and work
and you succeed
and you realize
that at 18 years old, this is not your passion anymore.
And that is okay
because at 18.5 you're wiser and ready to follow your true passion.
Whether that be working on videos, becoming a news broadcaster, or even that original plan of being famous.
18.5
18 and a half and you're scared out of your pants as you apply to switch majors.
18 and a half and happy tears fall down your cheek as you open that email titled, "Congratulations!"
18.5.
18 and a half and ready to begin the new chapter.
