At my age, 20 years old, many people are just beginning the "live life to the fullest" phase. Many of the people I know my age are going to bars and parties, drinking, living the single life, having fun in college, joining sororities/fraternities, meeting new people, changing their style and getting a tattoo for the heck of it. This is when they are trying new things, "finding themselves," and don't want to be "tied down." There is nothing wrong with any of this. The older people in my life, such as parents and their friends, repeatedly tell me to stay young and enjoy life. I know most people think I should be living like the majority of the people my age, but lately, it just isn't me. I don't know if I just got an early start to the parties, being single, and venturing out lifestyle or what, but suddenly, this 20-year-old is perfectly happy with settling down.
At the age of 17, I had a pretty rough start with the whole relationship thing. My first serious relationship was enough to make anyone want to be single for a very long while. After that, I rebelled a little, like any teenager does at some point, and began to find myself. Of course, some bad decisions were made along the way, but how else are you supposed to mature and learn?
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Two years after the initial heartbreak that caused my slight rebellion, I met the man of my dreams. We have been dating for almost a year now, and I look back now and see how much I have changed in just three short years.
Thinking of going to the bar doesn't seem half as fun as it used to. I would rather have a glass of wine in a bubble bath than go drink with friends. I wonder how I ever thought being single was so great when now I have someone to share everything with. Joining a sorority no longer interests me. Parties aren't my scene. Everything that seemed so important back then no longer matters to me now.
My idea of fun is a movie night with my boyfriend, dinner with the girls, traveling and making memories. I stay busy with a job, school and barrel racing. I have a renewed interest in my relationship with God, and my bible is something I try to look at more than social media.
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Sure, I've lost some friends because of this. Some just don't understand why I would rather go on a date with my boyfriend than go to the bars with them. I've accepted the fact that not everyone is going to agree with me "growing up too fast." Then again, everyone has their time when they get tired of the bars and being single, and everyone grows up eventually. As far as regrets, I don't see myself having any because this is the first time in a very long time that I can say I am truly happy.
So here's to all you people my age that are told on a regular basis that you act too old, or that you to need stay young and live a little. I feel ya. What they don't know is you can still have fun, and be in the bed by 9 o'clock. 😉
