Sometimes, I like to pretend that I hold all the world's wisdom, and one of those times is now. As my 21st birthday and the end of my junior year are quickly approaching, I'm experiencing somewhat of an 1/6 life crisis. Not quite old enough for quarter life crisis, but still too young to actually have real world problems, I'm realizing that real world problems are just over the horizon. Things like jobs and bills and buying car insurance are waiting my arrival with bated breath.

So my 1/6 life crisis has caused me to stumble upon the realization that I need to chill out and slow down. As I've quoted before and will quote again, my dad always says that you spend half your life trying to get to 21 and the rest of your life trying to stay 25. And as much as I hate to admit it, he's most definitely right.

I've rushed to this point in my life, thinking that I have all the answers and know everything I'm doing because I can almost legally consume alcohol. I've got a drivers license and a bachelors degree in skipping class, and apparently that makes me invincible. Surprisingly, it doesn't. And because of this, I decided that waiting to grow is totally fine. There are several steps I'm taking to maintain my so called innocence.

Why should I rush to do the rest of my life when I have the rest of my life to do things? That question may sound ignorant and easily explainable, however I see everyone around me (myself included) trying to do everything they can before they turn 25.

This mundane question extends to all facets of life, starting with becoming the person you are. We shouldn't rush growing up, because we simply aren't ready yet. There's a good reason we're only 21 years old, and that's to act like 21 year olds. To go out and get a little too drunk, to meet new people and do new things with our only responsibly to ourselves and our education. The person I am changes on a daily basis, but that's fine because I have no one to depend on me to be a constant person.

With this mindset, dating, traveling, going out, and all things related to young adults should fall into a similar mindset. Why are we so quick to fall in love, when most of us haven't even figured out how to love ourselves fully? Why are we so complacent with the towns we grew up in or go to school in? Why do we allow comfort to trump experience?

Like I said, I have no business acting like I know the secrets to the world, or anything at all for that matter. But one thing I do know is, as an (almost) 21 year old, not growing up sounds pretty good to me.