In lieu of my birthday recently, I have decided to dig deep into my memories, recall the days when I was younger, and compare them to what I do now that I am an adult*.

*I might be considered an adult by the law but I'm not sure if I actually have my life together enough to honestly say I am one.

1. Writing

Then: I received two diaries as gifts one year for Christmas, and so as to not make one more boring than the other, I wrote the same things in both.

Now: If I decided to write the same thing for two papers, I'm pretty sure that would be cheating and I could be docked a letter grade. Unless maybe I wrote one in English and one in Spanish... (Which, by the way, I have so not done before...)

2. Candy

Then: I pretended I was a doctor and self-prescribed Tic-Tacs as my medication. I would then eat them every few hours with that notion in mind, pretending to be healing some fancy disease.

Now: I eat Tic-Tacs the way any other self respecting adult does. One whole container at a time.

3. Personal Hygiene

Then: If my mom happened to forget to by women's razors, I would use one of my dad's.

Now: If I run out of razors, I'm probably not shaving until I buy more (because, in all sincerity, what woman actually enjoys shaving her legs?)

4. Creativity

Then: I would print out coloring pages from the internet with my dad's super awesome laser ink-jet printer.

Now: Adult coloring books are a total fad right now, so I have no shame in continuing my passion for coloring. Now I have more mature themes than rainbows and ponies, like Harry Potter.

5. T.V. Choices

Then: I would happily shout along to the theme song of my favorite show--Spongebob Squarepants.

Now: I happily hum along at a normal decibel level.

6. Leisure Activities

Then: I was addicted to Sims, but wasn't allowed to use the computer for more than one hour daily. Dutiful daughter that I was, I would set the microwave timer for an hour, but I would "accidentally" not hear it go off and stay on for half a day.

Now: I still spend way to much time on my own computer, but now I can at least do so without the threat of having my privileges taken away. In all honesty I should probably start limiting myself... Maybe my parents were on to something...

7. Fear

Then: My house is like, 104 years old and that isn't over exaggeration. I didn't like going upstairs in the dark, because the floorboards are creaky and the walls settle sometimes and you hear creepy things. My childhood imagination lead me to believe that there were killers and horrible monsters waiting for me if I stepped anywhere upstairs without a light on.

Now: Thank heavens for smartphones with flashlight settings.