I just turned 22 this past weekend. And though I had a great time with my family and friends, it made me seriously think about what it meant to be 22. And here is what I came up with.
- There is nothing that comes with turning 22. Seriously, nothing. There isn't anything fun that comes with turning 22. You've already been legally allowed to purchase alcohol for a year, so the novelty has worn off, and nothing else is new about it.
- In my case, you're old for your grade, so everyone asks if you "feel any different" now that you're a year older. No, I don't.
- Referencing number 1: you start to think about how much money is actually spent on alcohol and it's both surprising and terrifying. So of course that feels great.
- Taylor Swift's "22" plays on repeat in your head, whether you want it to or not. Everything is not "alright", Taylor. It's constantly brought up in conversation, and if you hear it, it's super catchy and impossible to get out of your head.
- You have to actually seriously start thinking about the real world. In four years, which really isn't that long, you won't be covered by your parents' insurance anymore. That's actually terrifying. That means you need to have a stable income or a job that provides medical insurance in four years.
- Birthdays aren't really fun anymore. As my mom so eloquently put it at dinner Sunday night, "After 21, you really only want to celebrate the '5s'." Then my grandma responded, "After 40, you are only going to want to celebrate the 10's". So that's going to be exciting.
- Sometimes, and again this may be for a select group of people, bartenders and bouncers don't believe that you are actually 22. Sir, my Virginia ID is legitimate. Just because I'm too lazy to pay for a new horizontal ID does not mean that my vertical ID, which doesn't expire for another 6 years, is fake.
- It's another reminder that college graduation is getting closer and closer.
- I feel old and slightly irrelevant. There are seriously 17-year-olds running around grounds, and I feel super old.
- But thankfully, even though there are so many terrible things about turning 22, your friends and family will be the best parts of the day. Say thank you to the people you love for making the day bright. I know I owe my loved ones and so much for making my day (and weekend) perfect.
