Age Is Just A Number

It is very clear that society, most of the time, does not take us teenagers seriously. But it is not clear how we are supposed to behave. These are confusing years when we are trying to figure out who we are and what we are capable of doing. We are pushed to succeed so that we are ready for what adulthood throws at us, however, most of us are so sheltered and treated as children that even college is a slap in the face. Now is the time that everyone is getting really excited to get out of here and go to college. Us teens just want to get away and live on our own, live by our own rules. But most of the people I have talked to who have applied to such far away places probably won't make it all four years. They do not realize what it takes to be almost completely self-reliant. Yes, their parents are paying for their education, but they have to discipline themselves so they don't fail out. They are forced to adjust to their surroundings and live on past knowledge. It's hard. But I still would not call it adulthood just yet. Nowadays, being an adult means so many different things. It does not necessarily mean living on your own, but sometimes it does. After high school my sister eventually moved out and lived with her boyfriend. Ever since they broke up she has been living at home and has saved so much money. She has gotten to come and go as she pleased and did not have to worry about the expenses of living on her own. But now, she is almost 26 and is moving to Minnesota next week and is all of the sudden being expected to pay the rent, pay for food, toiletry's, appliances, and several other necessities all on her own. I have considered her an adult for some time now, but by next week she will really know what it feels like and it will be a big change. This just shows that just because you are 18 does not mean you are dubbed as an immediate adult. It all depends on how you were raised and what has been expected of you all your life. The circumstances vary which leads me to believe there is no definite age that makes you an adult, it is about how you deal with what life throws your way and what you can and cannot handle.