I am far from claiming I have it all figured out. While I’ve done my fair share of adult-ing (definition: functioning in society, independent of a chaperone), I won’t go so far as to say I enjoyed every second. Fun is a word I reserve for streaking through places that shouldn't be streaked through and slaying my opponents at Scrabble. Paying bills, learning to argue diplomatically, and mostly remembering to brush and floss daily are a part of my attempt to become an adult. Though not entirely fun, I find a certain sense of pride in knowing how to take care of myself.
Additionally, I’ve never claimed to take the clear-cut path through school, and I am happy to find more and more people that are willing to admit that higher education doesn't work in a 'one size fits all' formula. A year off and two years commuting to classes at community college showed me a world of education outside the standard college campus. It showed me how to be a person outside of academia. Now that I’ve moved to a four-year university where life often operates inside a bubble, I’ve found how frequently education mixes into social life. An ever-present network picks up students when they fall. This makes me wonder if my classmates and I will have learned how to fail once we reach the world outside of a tight academic atmosphere, where tough love is the only standard for comparison. Where do we fit into the world of those who've already spent the time figuring it all out?
I can’t say how many times I’ve secretly rolled my eyes when a more adult-y adult asks me about my plans for after graduation. That question, both the most despised and most commonly asked of college students, rarely has a serious answer. The world is a scary place, and sooner or later, each of us has to face the reality that getting older is an essential part of living. That doesn’t mean, however, that growing up is included in that equation. Since when does growing old mean no longer singing in the shower or riding a grocery cart down an empty aisle? Does growing old mean never letting your emotions get the best of you and never admitting that you’re scared?
That doesn’t sound like the kind of 'grown up' I want to be. Instead, I’ll make my own definition. I’ll make a promise every day before I pour my consciousness out of bed and into a cup of coffee. I propose to try things that scare me a little; to point my skis downhill and be prepared to fall; to get angry then get over it. I promise all these and more for myself while still remembering to pay my bills, eat my vegetables, and call my grandparents because I know they like when I do. Being an adult does not mean growing up.
