Coming back from college, I did not really think that much would change when my neighbors were around. In some ways, I was right. The little girls in my cul-de-sac still beg me to do their nails, watch the shows that they made up and pretty much just be an older sister to them. With adults, though, things seem different post-freshman year of college. After thinking about what could be going on, I realized that I had hit the dreaded phase where I was not still a kid, but not yet quite a true adult in their eyes.

The realization of being in this phase hit me when my neighbor covering her mouth whenever she would curse around me. It was hilarious no doubt, but at the same time, I could not quite understand what to think of the situation. I was sitting there surrounded by the same neighbors whose kids I had babysat, who watched me learn how to drive and who were some of the last ones to see me before I left for college.

As college students, we are growing and figuring out who we want to be in life. We are turning into adults and thinking back to those who surrounded us while we were growing up. Our parents, teachers, coaches and neighbors showed us the good qualities that we want to mirror as well as some bad ones that we want to stay away from. To us, we are growing up, even if we do not necessarily want to. To them, we will always be their little children, students or babysitters.

Don’t get me wrong, I will never be one to shy away from sitting at the kids table at family and neighborhood functions. Talking to kids is so much simpler (and usually more entertaining) than talking to adults about real grown up things. Honestly, I am not completely sure I am ready for the whole grown up thing. As the years go on, though, I am starting to realize I will have to suck it up and be one of the adults.