Last week I turned 19, which seems impossible. Wait, 19? That means I only have one year left on this Earth as a teenager! I am baffled as to how the years flew by so quickly. I still remember turning 16 and thinking that that was the biggest birthday of my life -- the biggest cake, the biggest party, the biggest milestone--I was practically an old lady! But now, looking back, 16 is young and immature, not that immaturity has ever left me. I’m a kid at heart and always will be.

Growing up is a tough thing involving the painful loss of leaving things behind and the exciting adventure of diving into new experiences headfirst. No matter the struggles of change as you move on from one endeavor to the next, you can’t stop. Curling up under the covers and chanting to yourself that you will never grow up is in no way an antidote to aging. I’ll be the first to admit I often wish it was because growing up is scary! But Peter Pan and his Lost Boys are fictional and when you think about it, they probably get bored doing the same thing every single day. Neverland is exactly what it sounds like, the land in which new things never happen!

Growing up is what life is about. Moving on to explore the crazy, vast world we live in. Experiencing the ups and downs that each age has to offer. And as for the ups, there are countless. The innocent wonder that consumes you as a child, fascinated by everything from the faces of the moon that glows outside of your window to the wriggling insects that hide under the dirt in your backyard. The first time you go sledding and squeal gleefully as the icy wind teaches you what it’s like to fly. Your first cup of tart cider after a family trip to the apple orchard. Your first time playing in a sport’s game, whether you’re bad or good, the encouraging cheers from the audience will be all you need to feel special.

Your first day of school, some adorable, cartoonish lunchbox clutched in your little hands, your overzealous parents snapping a million pictures. Your first middle school dance of awkward dance moves and the whole class joining in for the "Cotton Eyed Joe.' Earning your very first A and plastering it up on the fridge or tucking it away in some memory box. Getting your license and finally knowing what freedom feels like. Prom, the last hurrah before the next big step -- going away to college. That’s where I’m at right now, and even though I’ll soon be saying goodbye to my teenage years, there are still so many things to look forward to, like three more years of college -- meaning three more years of living with the awesome friends that make each day fun and expanding my knowledge on the things that I find interesting, not just the things school requires us to learn. Then comes the thrill of starting a career and renting my first apartment. Fast forward several years and marriage may come along and then having kids.

Hold onto all of those priceless memories of the younger years you’ve had to leave behind, and embrace the changes to come. Remember, growing up is the greatest adventure of all! And adventures inherently come with risks, risks that don’t always pan out, but you have to take them in order to grow. However, grow within reason, don’t assume that entering adulthood means letting go of your spirit and humor and passion. Adults aren’t robots in suits who work, eat, sleep, and dream in black and white. Imagination and creativity has no expiration date, it lasts a lifetime.

Here’s to growing up without fear! You don't need Peter Pan's magic and youth to help you soar, you just need his unwavering belief, with that, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.