I have no words to describe how I am feeling as I sit down to write this.
Of course, I am excited. 21 is definitely an unforgettable birthday. It is the real step into adult life. However, thinking backward, I feel uneasy. 21 years have passed. I am 21. I am old. It is time for the real world.
As I approach my 21st birthday, there are a few things I want you to know:
It is OK if some things don't make sense.
Do not rush your elementary days, middle school days, or high school days (they are the good old days).
It is OK to have some bad days.
Do not waste time on people who don't deserve it.
Some may disagree, some may value other lessons learned, but the common denominator remains. When you're growing up, you do not realize how fast time is going to go. You do not realize how life really is.
When you are in kindergarten, you are listening to your teacher talk about the days on the calendar. When you are staring at those dates, you are not thinking about where you will be 21 years from that point.
When you are in elementary school, you are receiving stars on a chart to achieve an award for your behavior in the classroom. When you are sitting there at this moment, you are not realizing that responsibility is one of the most important characteristics to have as an adult.
When you are in high school, you are preparing to leave what you've known for 12 years to go to something completely new. When you are watching your cap fly into the air, you are not realizing the importance of the years to come.
Sometimes, you may questions things. Am I on the right path? Am I truly happy? Am I going to have a bright future? Am I going to achieve my goals?
It is totally normal to experience all these questions. It is totally normal to feel uneasy. It is life.
There will be days that feel like a black hole is reeling you in, little by little. There will be nights where everything seems to make no sense. But this is all apart of the process.
To think after 21 years, people are now set up to enter the real world, leaves me with a little bit of fear. I am not sure if I am fully prepared for the real world. How is 21 the age when everything changes?
Well, no matter what the answer is to that question, I can ensure you, we all figure it out.
Some people may waste your time before you are 21. Some people may ruin your day. Some people may break your heart. But one thing I learned before turning 21 is that you should not waste your time on people who do not deserve your time.
Time is a precious thing and life is pretty short, you cannot waste extra minutes on someone who isn't worth it.
As I approach my 21st birthday, thoughts are bouncing around my head, scrambling around left and right. These thoughts are normal. There is much more to come, many lessons to learn.
Before you take a sip of your first drink on your 21st birthday, think about all the knowledge and lessons you've learned in these 21 years. All leading up to this one moment of adulthood.
Cheers!
