It’s Not All About Age

Age is an interesting conceptin college. You are surrounded by people who range from new high school graduates, naive to the world, to mid-thirty-somethings with a family of their own. Everyone is convinced that our age and the level of success we have in our lives should match up. It’s a tough stereotype to break.

It isn’t hard to convince ourselves that people view us differently due to our age because it’s true. College-going as a theory creates a warped view of what is considered ‘young’ and ‘old’ within the minds of our family and friends.  For that matter, age also contributes to what people think about our current success level.

Being that I’m 24, it is thought that I would be working on my career, seeking out a serious relationship, and settling down into adulthood. On the contrary, turning 24 gave me a new found sense of adventure and involvement within whatever I can be a part of. Settling down into a career job this early in life frankly seems wasteful.

After the age of 21 has come and gone, I find that a lot of people refer to themselves as ‘old.’ Who decided that while during your mid-twenties you’ll refer to yourself as old? There’s nothing remotely old about being in the best physical, sexually appealing, strong and care-free mental state that is the mid-twenties. One hundred years old is old, 22 is anything but.

If people are referring to themselves as old, I wonder what they’ll be saying when they really are old. The pressures of today’s college life style were still there when our parents went to college.

Really taking a step back, 20 to 30 year olds aren’t old. These are the years that we take for granted. We can pull all-nighters. We put toxins in our bodies and manage to wake up the next morning to make it to our 8 a.m. class. We can get up and drive to the beach in the middle of winter without a care in the world. These are the years where repercussions of our actions are still forgiven by society because we are wild and free.

Our generation is obsessed with growing up and living out a fairy tale life. There isn’t anything wrong with graduating at 22, getting a great job, and marrying the man of your dreams by 25. It’s become less realistic, but that’s fine. What is becoming realistic is that parents realize their children as less likely to finish college in the traditional four years. And working harder for your dream job is what a dream job is designed for. No one gets their biggest dreams handed to them. And marrying your dream man right out of the gates of graduating college is a bold step.

I can’t seem to wear matching socks and as I mentioned I’m 24 years old. Why should I be pressured to grow up so quickly? The pressure of what we are supposed to be as socially mandated by our age is outlandish. Being another cookie cutter college student with a perfect life sounds great, but living out the golden years to the fullest sounds more realistic. So what if you’ve passed the bright, fun age of 21; there’s a lot more to live for. If we rush ourselves into being old, I think as a generation, we’ll be missing out on some amazing adventures.