When I was younger, I begged time to go faster. I couldn’t wait to go to high school and do all the “cool” things I saw my older cousin and his friends do. Friday night lights and being able to drive a car sounded so thrilling. When I made it to high school, the luster quickly dulled. All I wanted was to be in college, going to parties and making friends seven hours away from the tiny box I lived in. Now that I am in college, all I want is to go back. Driving a car has become annoying because no one knows how to drive, and it means I am usually on my way to run adult-like errands. I miss the days my dad made me pile into the passenger seat. Every day has become a routine of sorts with classes, my job, assignments, errands and so on. I am now halfway done with college, and the real world is approaching quicker and quicker. As I go along, I have found so many people are losing their youth and excitement with the world.

Personally, I don’t believe an age defines how much youth a person has. You can be 92 and young. Thinking about this has made me want to stay young forever. Yes, I have responsibilities and duties as a young adult but who says I can’t still be a little kid? I don’t mean I will sit down and sob if my friends tell me “No.” (Although I wish I could sometimes.) It doesn’t mean I can quit my job and sit and color through class. However, I can still try to experience everything fully with all the excitement and curiosity I had when I was a child. I can still smile through trouble and dance through stress. I can still let loose sometimes, throw my hair back, and laugh.

A few weeks ago, I traveled to Miami to work at Ultra Music Festival. I had never been to a city like that before, and my friends teased me as I walked down the street. My mouth remained wide open in awe as I looked around. I felt like a kid who went to the zoo for the first time. Everything was so new and magical to me. I wanted to feel like that forever. Getting back to school, I fell into the routine again. One day, a thought hit me. I wondered, “Why can’t I feel like that every day?” The thing is, I can. I can feel that magic every day. I just have to keep my eyes open to it. I can’t be afraid to dance in public and laugh when little things go wrong. Tiny moments of surprise and joy happen all the time, but I have always been too busy or worried to notice.

Here’s what I am getting at: don’t be afraid to be young. Dance in public if your favorite song comes on. Buy a really cute stuffed animal if you want to. Go on an adventure to a park if you feel like it. Bust out some dorky moves at a concert. Get excited over bubbles and sidewalk chalk. Relax and watch your favorite Disney movie. Roll all the windows down and blast your favorite boy band songs. Put extra sprinkles on your ice cream. You’re only as old as you let yourself be. Life can be long and tough. Don’t let it take away the youth you have left.