Its 1:30 in the afternoon, and I'm creating a website for my team at work. It's only my third week, and I've already taken a business trip all the way across the United States. Sitting at the summit of about 80 people in my industry, I realized I was the youngest one there; and by youngest, I mean by a good 30 years. At first, I tried to brush it off, but I couldn't help but feel like a 12-year-old girl who went to Mommy/Daddy Work Day. I'm 21, a college graduate, with a prestigious science degree and tons of experience. And at that moment I felt 12 years old! Like a child. Listening to presentations for eight hours, going to dinner with colleagues, drinking at the hotel bar, rinse and repeat. It was an amazing, intellectual, exciting, beneficial experience for me, to both expose myself to the business and the people I will soon be working hand in hand with. People from all across the world, like Brazil, Italy, China, Japan, Korea, India etc. However, I can't help but admit that the highlight of my trip was when we went alpine coasting. That was my outlet to my inner child. We rode all the way up the 3000 foot mountain, and by the force of gravity, coasted down to the bottom.
It seems I'm not the only one who is getting the hang of this adulting thing, but still feel like a 90's child. Everyone I ask says they, too, feel like they're not an adult yet. Not to worry! Theres a reason us millennials have a tough time feeling like adults, at adult age. Even if we are past the legal age of adulthood, that doesn't mean our responsibilities are of an adult. Yes, I work. Yes, I pay taxes. Yes, I have investments. Yes, I have a college degree. Yes, I just signed up for my own gym membership. But do I own a house? Do I have children? Am I married? I still live at home, I most certainly don't have babies, and I'd still probably feel like a little princess child, married. My parents buy groceries, I don't pay many bills, if any at all. I most certainly don't feel like an "adult" living in my parents basement. I still feel like their little girl, with my colorful bedroom full of paintings I've painted.
Age is simply just a number, and I believe even at 30, 40, 50 and 60, I will still feel like a child. As a young adult, you arouse a feeling of childlike curiosity and a longing for adventure and the "new." Everyone at my first business trip said "You must be so exhausted! I hate business trips." My response? "I'm loving it!" Of course my colleagues hate it, they are leaving their husband/wife, children, pets and home. What am I leaving behind? I was having the time of my life! Being in a new state, all financial burdens in the hands of the company. Amazing dinners, getting to know new people, sight seeing the beautiful state of Utah. According to Derrick Clifton from The Daily Dot, most people claim they dont even feel like adults until they turn 29 years old! They said that buying a home, having children, getting married, having a pension and life insurance is what truly made them feel adult worthy. Financially relying on parents, living at home, playing games, watching kids movies and so on, is what would make them feel like children. And let's face it, thats pretty much what we do when we live at home! (Clifton).
"That is why those old cartoons, video games, TV reruns, 90's driven online content" and SpongeBob memes are much more than entertainment; they are how millennials manage to cope with a prolonged adolescence (Clifton). When we were growing up, they told us to follow our passion, that we would be in our dream career one day, with hard work. We all fell for that lie. At my college commencement, the speaker said something that resonated with me, and will be carried with me for forever:
"If you're going to wait around for your passion, it will never come. If you have five different options, and you're waiting for one to resonate with you as your passion, it will never happen. Pick something and make it your passion. Are you deciding between medical school or going into the industry and moving up? Are you interested in going to graduate school or to take a gap year? Instead of sitting around waiting for something to happen, for the forces to tell you an answer, pick something and do it."
It's easy for many of us to feel young, lost and wanderlust. But thats totally OK! We are young, we are lost and we are wander-lusted. Even somebody who sounds like they have it all figured out -- they don't! I don't think we'll have it figured out till were 29 (Assuming Derrick here is telling us the truth). In the mean time, keep adulting, keep being a child. Work hard, travel young as much as possible, meet new people, embrace this new chapter in your life and remember; age is just a number!
