Why 20 Is A 'Floater' Year | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Why 20 Is A 'Floater' Year

You can't call it teenage angst anymore.

19
Why 20 Is A 'Floater' Year
Fanpop

It's not really teenage angst because you're not a teenager anymore, but how much weight does that really hold, coming from someone who is only a few months into their twenties? Perhaps it's just the year so far that has made me feel like I've been 20 for a decade, but I've come to the realization that 20 is what I like to call a "floater" year.

I call it a floater year for a couple of different reasons. I would like to premise by saying that the term "floater" comes from the show "Big Brother." Reality TV isn't a part of my routine anymore, but I remember that the show's contestants used this term to describe other players who were under the radar. The floaters didn't win many challenges, but that was okay because they didn't make any enemies, so they floated through the eliminations. So 20 is a floater year because it kind of just floats by.

For me, it's almost been an out-of-body experience. I've yet to complete my journey of self-discovery (or maybe even start it?), but who has done that at any point in his or her life? But there is something about transitioning from a teenager to a someone in her twenties that has given me a sense that I need to be doing something significant.

Is a fifth-life crisis the new mid-life crisis?

The "what are you passionate about" question is the scariest thing right now. It goes beyond someone asking what you want to do with your life because, by now, we've mastered an answer to that with a (more than likely) falsely convincing tone. I've come to terms with not knowing what I want to do, but I feel like I should at least be passionate about something. Everything I once had a passion for is faded into neutrality, and they are just hobbies that I like to do now. However, at this age, it doesn't seem like there are as many resources for self-discovery.

No longer is it desirable to free your spirit in the teenage way, nor is it possible/legal to do so in the way of those a year senior to us. So not only are we stuck in a limbo of trying to figure out what we like, we are also confused as to how to spend our time. We aren't grown-ups like we may think we are — the rest of the world will laugh at us for thinking that. Instead of enjoying this age, we are caught up in the stress of tittering on the edge of adulthood. We don't have the ultimate stress of adulthood quite yet, but we've experienced enough to know what to expect of it, and we are staring at it in the face. Being 20 is the calm before the storm, which sometimes can be as scary as the storm.

Albeit, being 20 may seem like one of the most average years of our youth; it's important to take a step back and take the advice that our elders love to give us: these are the best days of our lives. While I like to think that I'm going to make every year(s) the best of the my life, youth is a very special time, and we can't get that time back.

So while 20 is a floater year, float through it with curiosity, love, laughter and possibility.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
university
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Creating your schedule for the upcoming semester can be an exciting process. You have the control to decide if you want to have class two-days a week or five-days a week. You get to check things off of your requirement checklist. It's an opportunity for a fresh start with new classes (which you tell yourself you'll never skip.) This process, which always starts out so optimistic, can get frustrating really quickly. Here are 25 thoughts you have when registering for classes.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

10 Thoughts Of A 5th Year Senior

What about those of us who don't do it all in four years?

855
college shirt
pointsincase.com

"College will be the best four years of your life" is a phrase that we have all heard growing up. College is painted as a magical place to us while we are in high school. A place you go to learn, meet your best friends and probably have the time of your life while all of this is going down. Four whirlwind years, where everything that you've known changes and you start to learn what it means to live on your own, have a job, etc. But what about those of us who don't do this all in four years? Major changes, hard courses, switching schools, career paths changing, these are just a handful of factors that could extend your four years to five, six or seven. There is nothing wrong with taking extra time to graduate, but returning as a fifth-year is a little different. Most of your best friends have most likely graduated and moved and while you may be one of the oldest undergraduates on campus, you might feel as awkward as a freshmen. A world that became home and comfortable to you is still there but it's slightly different than you've known it to be and you have to find a groove to fall into. These are thoughts you'll have as you look ahead to returning to your college campus, with a victory lap planned.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

17 Times "Friends" Accurately Described Life

You can't say that no one told you life was gonna be this way.

128
friends

In the 12 years since it went off the air, "Friends" continues to be adored by millions. The show that gave generations unrealistic expectations about love (or should I say lobsters?) and New York City apartments had a charming cast of characters that everyone could relate to at some point or another. Here are 17 times Ross, Monica, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel accurately described life.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Times Aubrey Plaza Described Sophomore Year

"I don't want to do things. I want to do not things."

502
Aubrey Plaza
Flickr Creative Commons

Aubrey Plaza is one of my favorite humans in Hollywood. She's honest, blunt, unapologetic, and hilarious. I just started my sophomore year of college, and found that some of her best moments can accurately describe the start of the school year.

1. When your advisor tells you that you should declare a major soon.

2. Seeing the lost and confused freshmen and remembering that was you a short year ago, and now being grateful you know the ins and outs of the campus.

3. Going to the involvement fair to sign up for more clubs knowing that you are already too involved.

4. When you actually do the reading required for the first class.

5. Seeing your friends for the first time since last semester.

6. When you're already drowning in homework during syllabus week.

7. Realizing you don't have the same excitement for classes as you did as a freshman.

8. Going home and seeing people from high school gets weirder the older you get.

Keep Reading...Show less
graduation

Things you may not realize are different between high school and college:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments