I remember daycare. I was playing with a toy when another little kid came over and took it from me. Of course, being about five years old, I cried. The lady taking care of us came over and I told her what happened. She took the toy from the boy, who screamed, “that’s not fair!” And I remember her response being something along the lines of,

“Welcome to the real world.”

I remember the end of first grade. The second grade teacher came in and told us that we would be learning cursive next year. A girl raised her hand and said, “but my mom told me that cursive isn’t used anymore. Why are we learning something we won’t need?” The teacher’s response was,

“That’s how the real world works.”

I remember fifth grade, and my teacher finally getting us to quiet down after multiple attempts. She gave us a lecture.

“You know, this behavior won’t be accepted in the real world. You’re going to be in middle school next year, and they won’t stand for your obnoxious ways there.”

I remember my last day of classes in eighth grade, and all of my teachers giving us the same speech.

“You’re going to be in high school next year. I hope you’ve prepared for the real world.”

I remember my freshman year, being high on the idea of freedom. Full of mistakes and stupid ideas. And I remember everyone looking down on me and saying,

“Wow, how immature. Just wait until you get to the real world. Senior year will come before you know it.”

I remember senior year, around Christmas. College application letters were in the mail. We were in the waiting period. And all of my teachers looked at us stressing out, and said,

“This is it. You’re so close to the real world.”

I remember senior year, graduation day. Our class president gave a speech, and in it, he said,

“Here we are, the real world we’ve been waiting for. College is just a few short months away.”

Now I’m in college, nearing the end of my freshman year. I’ve worked harder than I ever have. I’ve been struggling, but successful. And everyone, I mean everyone, around me is saying,

“Oh, the first year of college, how blissful. Enjoy it while you can, the real world will come sooner than you think.”

But my question is, when do we actually reach the real world?

We go through each day, striving and hoping for this hyped-up “real world” they speak of. Is it when I get a job? I’ve had one since I was sixteen. Is it when I can make my own decisions? I’ve been doing that all year. Is it when I can financially support myself? Well, that’ll never truly happen thanks to student debt. Is it when I do something worthy with myself? Well, who’s to judge that?

I have this crazy theory. We’ve been in the real world the entire time.

Since the moment of conception, we’re exposed to all of the dangers and wonders that this world has to offer. We may not realize it, but we’ve just entered a place where we can be ultimately effected by everything that comes into contact with us.

Some may argue that we aren’t exposed until we experience the world for ourselves. But we have influences on us before we even have the ability to walk or talk for ourselves.

The moment we’re born, we enter into a completely new environment. Everything around us is unfamiliar, and we know nothing about it. The fact is, we’re real. The things we touch are real. The people around us are real. The decisions we make are real. We are in the “real world.”

So stop waiting. No more anxious anticipation for tomorrow, or next week, or next year, or until you’re a senior. We’re always told to live life to the fullest, because we never know what day will be our last. The future is unknown.

So let’s get up and embrace our world around us. The real world.