Oh, little naïve Nick. You couldn't wait to grow up.

I used to tell my parents how much I envied them, because they didn't go to school where the recess time just got cut to 30 minutes. Now, here I am. Hanging on to every last second of youth that I have left.

My older brother said it to me best. "Yeah, graduating sucks." My freshman year of college, walking across that stage seemed lightyears away. High school lasted an eternity; surely college would be the same. I was more wrong than the Mayans about 2012. I am close to graduating and being sent off into "the real world," which from what I understand is being developed into a Spielberg horror film. Rated "R" for "Run away as fast as you can." But it seems like I am one of the few that feels this way. A lot of my friends can't wait to graduate and start their careers. For the life of me, I cannot relate.

Remember freshman orientation? None of us could come up with a better opening line than "What are you majoring in?" followed up by, "Oh, cool! What do you want to do with that?" Well, I wasn't really sure what route I would take with my major, but that was alright, because I was studying something I was passionate about. The looks I got made me feel more stupid than a buffalo eating nine Twinkies in a hot spring on a Wednesday night in Arkansas. Never swim on a full stomach, Mr. Buffalo. Everyone at orientation knew exactly what their career would be, but more importantly to them, how quickly they would reach a six figure salary. They all had to assure the group that their job would make them rich and successful. Is this what adulthood is going to be about? Constantly competing with our friends to see who can accumulate the most wealth and marking that as our measure of a successful life? Come on, y'all. I hated the game of Life when it was played on a board with fake money, and now this? I forfeit.

I guess my biggest concern is, what do I have to look forward to? Because really, what's better than those big dreams as a kid? All the extraordinary things you thought about before you went to sleep. Or even the smaller things that kept you excited. Winning the talent show, scoring the game winning touchdown, a date with your crush. Even if it never happened, we still enjoyed thinking about those hopes we had. What do I dream about when my life is figured out? Less opportunity lies ahead, I'm in the 9-5 grind and the only thing I have to work towards is the next promotion. I fear getting stuck in a rut where I have no dreams left to keep me up and excited as I lay in bed.

I hope I'm wrong about adulthood, and to those who are ready for it, cheers to you. Quite frankly, I'm not. I'm not ready to graduate, I don't want to start my career yet, and I am definitely not willing to get excited over the new set of pots and pans I just bought for the new house. I have a couple years left, and I will spend it procrastinating, partying, and pizza-ing. So, call me immature. Because I am. Extremely. At 21-years-old, I wouldn't want to be any other way.