As this new decade begins, so do my 20’s. Turning 20 was a very hard thing for me. I was/still am scared of the future, of all the expectations that come with no longer being a teenager. Although many people have told me that I should be excited and not scared, I can’t help but have some anxiety about being 20. To me, my 20’s can make or break me. If I don’t get a good job before I’m 30 there is a good chance I’m not going to have a financially secure future. In order to get a good job, I have to do well in my undergrad and get into a graduate degree program, because 4 years in undergrad doesn’t get you anywhere anymore. While I knew all of this before, turning 20 brought it all forward, made all these fears more real.
However, I never let myself consider the possibilities of what my 20’s hold for me. I’m starting a new decade of my life in a new calendar decade, how many people can say that? (Well I guess quite a few but give me my moment) This decade can be whatever I want it to be. I can try new things, travel to new places, meet new people, live somewhere new, learn more about myself. This is the decade where I become the person I want to be. The person that succeeds and helps others, is selfless because I have the privilege to be. The world is my oyster, or so the saying goes, and I can carve my own path.
I’d be doing myself a disservice if I let fear or anxiety hold me back because I don’t want to regret anything or ask myself what if anymore. I want to embrace everything life throws at me, the good and the bad. This new decade is exciting and holds a lot of possibilities.
So, now I have a choice. I can be scared and let fear control all my decisions, or I can embrace what comes to me and work as hard as I can to accomplish the things I want. I’m starting to think being 20 might not be so bad, even if I am getting older.