Once we graduate high school and complete one or two years of college, our lives start to become a little... funky. Our teenage years have come to a close as the curtains open for our next stage in life. The 20's. Since the turn of our 18th birthday, nothing excited us more than to finally be recognized as an "adult." Being 18 years of age was cool and all, but the tough reality of adulthood doesn't really hit until you have like 47 days left of being a legit teenager. I wouldn't call it a "mid-life crisis," and I wouldn't call it a "post-teenage crisis"... I would call it a "pre-full fledged adult life crisis."

We've always made fun of those going through "mid-life crisis" thinking that they've fallen over the edge, or are simply just being overdramatic. I mean, we can all name at least one family member or family friend that caved into buying a brand new motorcycle without having any motorcycle experience. We all made jokes about it and thought it was the funniest thing they've ever done.

"Let him be, he's just going through his mid-life crisis"

Well, I'm here to tell you that with my 20th birthday being right around the corner, based on how I am reacting now, I can already imagine the "mid-life crisis" I will be going through. All I can say is that my kids are going to think I'm being overdramatic as well.

The "pre-full fledged adult life crisis" is a difficult one to explain. This stage in our lives can compare to a rollercoaster of emotions. We're excited to become adults but sad that we can't-do "teenage things" anymore. We look back at all the fun times we've had, but then realize just how fast the time has swooped by. Suddenly we look back at pictures and realize that we really don't remember much about the moments we thought we'd remember forever. We ponder on the fact that if the last 20 years have gone by this fast, how fast will the rest of our lives go by?

The "pre-full fledged adult life crisis" also has symptoms of confusion. After high school, everyone's lives start picking up at different paces. Some of us know exactly what we want to do in the future while others have no idea what direction they want to take their life in. Some of our friends are getting engaged, while the others are traveling around the world. We start to worry about the unknown. We think too much about everything we haven't learned and on the fact that we have not one reassuring idea of what the future holds.

The "pre-full fledged adult life crisis" is definitely real. Whether I just stamped a title on it or not, it's definitely something many people go through. It's the stage where you start to worry about all the worries you are going to have in the future. It's the stage where you begin to realize that things change at a faster rate than you've ever been used to. Decisions are needed to be made left and right and suddenly you're overwhelmed with life. Are we ready for the real deal?

For all those experiencing this life crisis as well, I just have a couple of words to share with you. Don't stick to your same routine, experience as much as you can. Get out there and explore, meet people anywhere and everywhere. Start a conversation with the person next to you, behind you, in front of you. Never lose an opportunity to tell someone you love them, miss them or need them. The more you experience and the more open-minded you are, the easier it'll be for you to take on adulthood with full force. Live in the moment because life goes by faster and faster every year. It's okay if you don't know where your life is headed or if you feel like you're not ready for what the future holds. There is a plan for each and every one of us. The "pre-full fledged adult life crisis" is real.