Let’s face it, fellow millennials, we’re going to get old. We will slowly become the people cursing trends and telling kids to get off our lawn.
I am in my senior year of my time at UIndy and I see real adulthood over the horizon.
It’s a scary thought not having the safety net of college. Things like getting up every single day and paying bills are a pretty disgusting prospect.
I enjoy the freedom of sitting on the Internet every day and having a work schedule that allows for naps at 2 p.m. and food runs at 3 a.m. I want to spend my money on dresses, not rent. Going into last summer, these were my dominant thoughts. But after summer ended I couldn’t wait to dive head first into this life style. Adulthood had lost its shiney appeal my senior year of high school, but it all changed this summer.
I had my first big girl job over the summer. I worked with a professional newspaper, with people who had been writing for years. I had to be in the office every day by 9 a.m. and stayed until 5 p.m.
I filled out a bi-weekly timesheet and W2 forms. I spent the summer budgeting my money for gas and making a daily schedule to optimize time. Every week, it got easier and even fun.
I was proud to have so much responsibility. As a millennial, I’ve been taught that my creativity and independence are what I should hold dear.
The icky parts of adulthood would hold me back from pursuing those endeavors. Millennials are stubborn – I won’t even try to argue against it – but it’s what makes us the next strong leaders of the world. The older we get, the more creativity we can spread to the world.
The older we get the more stubborn we can be about what kinds of jobs we want and how we want to live our lives.
We will be happy, and it isn’t that scary giving up other things.
I know that every generation has told themselves this, but we have unique traits, just as other generations had their own. Every generation’s journey to adulthood is different.
Discovering new things doesn’t end when you’re young. I see every year my parents taking new trips and trying new things.
Life itself is an exploration, and a nine to five job doesn’t squash those things.
Now that I am reaching my mid 20s, I see my friends falling in love, getting engaged, graduating, getting jobs and exploring.
I can’t wait to share those moments with them. They share wedding ideas with me or share stories from travelling abroad. It is inspirational.
I have a few friends who have children, and I used to cringe at the thought of what they go through as young parents. But they are responsible and I can see their pride from working on their own. I would still rather wait to start on that journey, but it is nice to know it is not as scary as I previously thought.
College gives students a safety net. Residential students do not have to pay rent, bills, buy food and entertainment. It is fun to be able to roll out of bed to Streets and get a cheeseburger, but it is more satisfying making my own meal. Paying for my own things also relieves stress from my parents.
I have been working since I was 17-years-old and every year my jobs have given me more responsibility and better pay. As I transitioned into adulthood, I could see everyone’s opinion of me shifting and it helps my confidence.
It is a healthy part of life to get behind on technology trends or not agree with what high school kids are wearing.
It is an identifier that you are maturing, and your life is moving forward.
Being stuck in arrested development isn’t the way people are supposed to live. People are not supposed to lose their adventure and zest for life.
So, millennials, don’t fear getting older. Look for the positives that make life wonderful.
You will be happier. Sometimes, not understanding the young is just a part of it. Don’t worry, they will get old, too.
