20 is a weird age. It means that you've technically been an adult for two years, and it also means that you have another whole year until you can legally drink. A lot of people think this birthday has no significance at all, but I think it finally marks the transition from being an adult with the word "teen" still at the end of your age, to being a full blown 20-year-old.
Turning 20 means saying goodbye to being a teenager. It means saying goodbye to using your age as an excuse. No more blind ignorance and naivety to the world of adulthood. It means that we must finally face the reality that meets us at the end of college and is quickly barreling toward us. Some may feel nostalgic for their youth and wish to stay a teenager forever, but I am excited for what my future holds for me.
I am excited to say goodbye to my teenage years. I will not miss having braces in my school pictures, acne on my face, hormones that make me feel inhumane, petty gossip that does nothing but hurt people, or being so focused on what people think of me. Being 20 is my way of showing the world that I am a different person. No, I don't have braces anymore, but I have become more confident, found what I am passionate about doing, and I know the value of true friendship.
Being 20 means that we have had two decades of human life experience under our belt. We have looked up to our parents, siblings, friends, and role models to show us how to adult properly, and it is now our time to jump out of the nest and try to fly on our own. Lucky for us, we are just at the beginning of adulthood, so although one part of our life is ending, we are new adults. This means that we can make a mistake or two and it won't impact us too badly. It means that we can ask for advice so that we can start this part of our lives on a good foot and continue going towards where we want to be in ten, 20, or even 30 years.
This next decade will be huge for us. Ten years is a long time. At 20, we are just as close to being ten again as we are to turning 30. We have a lot of experience to go out and get, and a lot of self exploration and chasing to do. Change is good. It can be scary, but it is how we grow. I am beyond excited to turn 20 and start this new chapter so that I can know myself so much better. In the next decade, I could learn what I am like as a full time employee, a spouse, a parent, and maybe even as a mentor for someone who will be sitting in the same position that I am now.
Embrace and celebrate turning 20. You are embarking on the exciting road of adulthood that you will ride for the rest of your life. Take the time to appreciate where you came from, but don't dwell for too long, or you are going to miss out on what the rest of your life has in store for you.
