Being mature for my age has had its ups and downs. Sure, generally having more common sense than peers come in handy when stuck in sticky situations (i,e. no, Susan, I'm not going to blow all the money I made this summer on a weekend trip to Cancun), but sometimes it is more of a curse than a blessing.
College has always been the cliché time where people can “spread their wings and discover themselves.” But what if I felt like I had already discovered myself, what if I didn’t want to spread my wings anymore than I already had? What was I supposed to do? I have been through enough embarrassing experiences that will haunt me for the rest of my life to know not to make the same mistakes again. For example, having your best friend date your ex behind your back is not something that I would call a “bonding experience.” Likewise, thinking that wearing heels to walk from Roanoke Street to Lane Stadium on my sister's graduation may not have been that smart, considering I tripped and flashed the traffic of downtown Blacksburg. My personal theory is that most people with a "higher maturity age" have simply experienced life’s cringe-worthy moments before anyone else, and have learned from their mistakes earlier than normal.
Most people with this personality trait are known as the parent of the friend group, something I am more than familiar with. Need someone to rant to, rely on the parent of the group. Need someone to take care of you while you’re sick, rely on the parent of the group. Need someone to cover you while you do something most likely illegal, rely on the parent of the group. But at some point, the “parent” becomes overwhelmed. Not every 18 year old is the same, and that’s a fact. But we do all share one common trait: we all need to let our hair down sometimes. As much as we hate to admit it, we are all kids at heart; we all make mistakes and we all have to learn from them. College is stressful, planning out your career path is stressful, only being able to afford Ramen is stressful. We all have a little break down here and there, whether it be to order an unnecessary amount of clothes online or to eat a whole tub of cookie dough in one sitting, no one is immune to the reality of being a young adult.
So maybe having an old soul gives you an advantage. Maybe you'll decide to stay in and study all weekend instead of cramming the night before your midterm. Maybe it makes you more susceptible to all the negatives that come with adulthood, like being preoccupied with your bills 24/7 or spending too much time working and not enough time relaxing. Either way, college is only four years of your life, so enjoy this life while you can, and pray that you won’t be this broke forever
