Whether it's playing dress up or having imaginary friends, our imaginations were wild during our childhood. This led to the concept of actually believing in what is now the fantasy world. There are quite a few things your gullible younger self believed (or still believe) as a child.
1. Having a light on in the car while driving was illegal
Did all of our parents talk about this so that they were all in on it? I thought to have a light on in the car was illegal, especially at night, until I went through Drivers Ed.
2. Adults knew everything.
I am 19 years old, a technical adult, and trust me I do NOT know everything. Neither does any other adult. Just because someone is older doesn't mean they know what they are talking about.
3. Smart Food makes you smarter.
I hated Smart Food growing up so everyone who act like I was going to be stupid because of it. Kind of a good marketing idea to call it smart food, but I am also curious about the logic behind it. Is it just gross popcorn?
4. Smart Water makes you smarter
Similar to #3, another idea you consume that's name leads you to believe it would make you more intelligent. Once again, we are let down and this water won't make you any smarter than the next type of water.
5. Songs on Disney were actually the actors' real voice
When my friends and I found out Troy Bolton wasn't actually Zac Efron's voice we were shocked and devastated. Apparently, this is pretty common on TV shows/ movies where people sing. And if it is their real voice it is probably heavily auto-tuned.
6. You would be married by 20.
Generations before my own got married very early; millennials are getting married later and later. So growing up with my parents who were married at 22 made me believe I would also be married by that age. Looking at my life now I can confidently say that that is highly unlikely, which is okay.
7. Becoming a princess or mermaid isn't a realistic career option .
Honestly, we probably all knew this growing up but we didn't really want to believe it. The Princess Diaries and other movies made our hope that we would randomly find out we have been royalty all along way longer than we should have (I think I still have a little hope).
8. You would be a pro athlete.
I give credit to the athletes growing up who had so much confidence that they believed they could make it to the pros. Typically the sad reality that it's not going to happen comes when you don't get recruited to a D1 college.. or any college. I never believed I would make it pro but all the people from my high school who thought they would share the same title as me now: washed up.
9. Best friends forever really lasted forever
Your best friend from kindergarten probably didn't even make it to high school with you. Which is fine. The only constant thing in life is change and everyone and everything this always changing at a different rate. 6-year-old you would be upset, but I'm sure your friends now are just as great.
10. You would have hidden powers.
No one wants to believe that they are ordinary. But after growing up and not receiving a letter from Hogwarts when I turned 11 and not being bitten by a spider and getting spidery senses in high school, I have come to the conclusion that ordinary is the norm.
11. You would never grow up.
Being an adult when you are a kid seems like a lifetime away; maybe I should have listened to people more when they said it goes by faster than you could ever imagine. Now I am constantly surrounded by college students who are halfway adult terrified to be off in the real world with real responsibilities because eventually everyone is forced to grow up.
12. You would never stop fighting with your siblings .
Maybe it is because of maturity or maybe it is just because you see each other less often, but eventually, sibling relationships become more civil. Growing up having constant screaming matches with my older brother, I definitely never believed anyone about this one.
13. Everything you learned in history class was actually in the past.
They talk about dirty politics, racism, discrimination, and more like they are things that have been conquered. But rarely do they acknowledge that these are things that will always be a work in progress. The world is always changing and there is always room for improvement.
