22 Thoughts About Turning 22 | The Odyssey Online
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22 Thoughts About Turning 22

Taylor didn't prepare me for this one.

Mary Virginia Harper
Jan 19, 2016
Vanderbilt University
536
22 Thoughts About Turning 22
Taylor Swift - 22 - Chipmunks Version + lyrics

After celebrating my birthday this week, I realized that 22 years old feels very different than any age I have ever experienced. From graduation to first jobs, 22 is an under-appreciated milestone that begins a stand-out year for many people. So here's to the scary (and more easily memorable) older sibling of the 21st birthday -- may it be only a little miserable and mostly magical.

1. It’s my birthday!

2. Bring on the music, T-Swizzle, I'm feelin' 22!

3. Oh shoot. It’s my birthday. I’ve actually lived 22 years.

4. I’ve run out of things that become legal on my birthday. I am old.

5. Never mind. I still have renting cars to look forward to at 25. Wooo.

6. This is the last birthday I will have in college.

7. As a 22-year-old, I am going to graduate college. (Hopefully.)

8. And get my first real job. (Extra hopefully.)

9. And live on my own for the first time. (Assuming successful completion of #8.)

10. I really thought I would feel adult-ier by now.

11. I’m actually considered a real adult now. I could get married or pay bills or go on vacation. Unsupervised.

12. Are taxes a thing? I should probably be doing those.

13. It was fun the first 10 times, but if one more person asks me if I'm feeling 22 today...

14. When the babies that are born this year graduate high school, I will be 40. What?! That can’t be right... 22 plus 18... yep. 40.

15. Do my future birthday parties have to be a boring grown-up dinners now?

16. Wait -- will I even get to have birthday parties anymore after college?

17. I wonder when I’ll stop being excited about my birthday.

18. At least I know my mom will never stop being excited about my birthday. Or stop calling me at the exact time of day I was born (which was unfortunately at 4:41 a.m.).

19. What if I’ve already lived the best years of my life and didn’t even realize it?

20. Nope, 22 will definitely be better. It will be the first year I can remember with no exams (after this semester of course).

21. Actually, this will be the first year I won’t have a pre-set plan. I don’t have a mandatory track to follow anymore. This will be the first year I get to fully choose my own path.

22. Everything really will be alright if I just keep dancing like I'm 22... except not to this song.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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