Cheers to 21!

I have to admit, turning 21 sounded awesome a few years ago. I have no doubt that my 15-year-old self would consider me “cool” right about now, but to be completely honest, I’m just trying to get my life together.

I guess I never really gave much thought to what I would be doing at 21. As teenagers, for some weird reason, we just cannot wait to turn 21.

It is a whole different perspective once you are up here though. It is not about how many parties you have gone to or which night club you will be going to this weekend. It is really just about getting things done.

Many people at this age are just trying to survive the hectic college life. Those dreadful Monday mornings of opening up Blackboard to see all the assignments for the week, but let us not forget about those satisfying Sunday nights of turning in the last one just a minute till midnight.

I just got admitted to the teaching program this semester and am excited for what is in store for me these upcoming years.

I am also in the process of preparing for all the exams I need to get certified to become a teacher. If there was one thing I was sure of when I was younger, it is that I wanted to grow up to become an educator.

It is nerve-wracking, yet exciting, knowing we are getting ready to be the person we hope to be.

Although we might not be building our first house just yet, we are building a career that will lead to that.

Also, does the thought of adulting really blind us that much from seeing the responsibilities that come with it as we get older? I do not think many people appreciate the luxury of not having payments before, at least I did not.

Car insurance, phone bills, credit card payments, etc, you name it, we pay it. Well, eventually we will have to. It is like another year, another payment, kind of thing. Oh, and btw, 15-year-old self, news flash, you have to actually work to pay these.

Being a full-time student and part-time worker is not always a piece of cake.

Some weeks are tougher than others, and class assignments only tend to become more time consuming as the semester goes by. Many times, I find myself passing up on family cookouts to stay behind and finish homework.

If there was one important piece of advice I would give myself for this point in life, it is to always find the right motivation to do stuff and to remember the future I want to accomplish.

Oh, and another thing, younger self, you can forget about the partying after turning 21. You will be living through a huge world pandemic that does not seem to be going away any time soon.

But, anyway, I promise you, it is not that bad. That is just the reality of turning 21.