I’m old-fashioned in my beliefs and behavior. I often feel as if I was born in the wrong decade. The thought of growing up in the '80s or '90s is much more appealing to me than growing up in this digital age we find ourselves in today.
I wish I lived in a time when people aren’t connected to each other 24/7. My friends and I still have a very strong relationship, though we aren’t the type of people who text all the time. Cell phones are super convenient, but I wish more people would put them down in public and spend time actually interacting with those around them.
I asked my family members to write me letters for my high school graduation, rather than give me a gift. I wanted advice for the next chapter of my life, which seemed so daunting. So many of them told me that I have more wisdom at my age than they did and that I would be just fine. I sometimes wish that I didn’t.
Don’t get me wrong, I love who I am. There are just times when I wish I wasn’t so uptight about things and that I could be a normal teenager, one without inhibitions and maturity beyond her years. I have not had the typical college experience because I do not enjoy partying and drinking. It took me a while at college to find a friend group that felt the same way.
Sometimes, I feel as if I might be missing out on the best years of my life by not partaking in the popular activities people think are so much fun. But it doesn’t seem fun to me. I am finally comfortable with my outlook on my college years. I am not willing to compromise my values to take part in the popular college lifestyle. It’s not who I am.
I am more interested in finding “the one” than spending my years as a young adult going between careless relationships. I do not share the typical millennial dream of moving to a big city and having a booming social life. I will be happy if I settle down somewhere in the Midwest, focusing on my career and raising my family.
I’m a homebody. While so many young people enjoy going out and getting crazy, I am fine with staying in and watching a movie with a couple friends. I don’t hesitate to spend a Friday night working on a paper or studying if I have a busy weekend ahead of me. It’s just in my nature to put the important things first, even if it means foregoing a night out for school.
Case in point, I spent the second night of my freshman year of college alone in my dorm room. I gave the campus-wide Welcome Back event a chance. I felt so uncomfortable. It was daunting, looking around at the sea of unfamiliar faces and feeling so lost. I was still so overwhelmed by the onslaught of college that I went back to my room. I called home and turned the TV on. Watching "Modern Family" in my pajamas, in my mind, was a much better way for me to spend that night than forcing myself to be in an uncomfortable social situation.
I am very forward-thinking. Every move I make has been well thought-out; there is no room for spontaneity. I spend a lot of time stressing over my future, trying to ensure that I am doing everything I can to make it all I hope it will be. I just wish I had faith that everything will work out so I can focus more on the now and having fun in college.
I have nothing against people who fit the millennial stereotype. I just don’t fill that mold. That doesn't mean that I don't get along with other people my age. It just means that I appreciate our differences and look deeper for common ground to connect us.
