As I was sitting in a meeting room in the middle of exchanged business conversations and decisions being configured, it suddenly hit me at 100 miles per hour that I am in the real world now. This isn’t just working in an ice cream shop anymore, and I have to know a little more than what an article of clothing is priced in a retail store. I can’t explain this feeling that overcame me as I was in this meeting room the other day at my first internship. I tried to retrace my steps and figure out the moment where I became an adult, but the transition happened so fast -- maybe it was just then as I was sitting in that room.

Maybe I should have been paying closer attention to the meeting playing out in that room, but my mind was racing almost as fast as my heart was beating. I started to notice all the differences from being in a classroom to a meeting room. The difference in conversations and the tone of them and the people surrounding me. This isn’t my friends around me who I've known my whole life, and this isn’t just an easy-going classroom setting anymore. Just as I thought this business meeting room was closing in on me faster than my high school years went by, I caught my breath.

I realized that I am actually learning what I want to learn about, and there is a purpose behind what I am learning too. “When am I ever going to have to use this,” was no longer a question. I never had to wonder why I was learning pointless information and when I would have to use it my life. Whatever I was learning would be useful to me, and I found that pretty cool.

Growing up, there are no surprises as you moved forward in life and in schooling. You knew if you finished the first grade you would now be in the second grade and so forth. I like the excitement of the unknown in the real world. Though sometimes scary, there is no limit on how much I can achieve. I never know when I might upgrade or move up in my job. I'm not being forced to learn anything that doesn't interest me. If I want to get up and leave my job, essentially I can do just that. I can explore what I want to do instead of being restricted to learning just the curriculum that is set for me. It was a frightening realization when I realized I have to do "adult things," but taking a closer look, I realized the new beginning is exciting. This is the new chapter of being out of the boring school cycle of simply transitioning from grade to grade. I can decide what my next transition will be on my own. I guess I'm more ready than I thought for "adulting."