The Little Moments of Girlhood
Lately, I have realized that getting ready to go out with friends is almost as exciting as the night itself. Part of this feeling could be because everyone is in the same room, listening to a “going out” playlist, trying on five different outfits, and asking, “Does this look good?” every five seconds. Just the thought of makeup products spread across the bathroom counter and clothes all over the bedroom floor brings me back to the concept of girlhood.
We spend so much time looking forward to where we are going that, I believe, we sometimes forget to appreciate where we already are. When we make plans to go out, we usually think about the actual night, the actual location. We think about the place we are going, the people we will see, and the pictures we will take. But some of my favorite parts of going out have nothing to do with the place we eventually end up going, but it is getting ready together.
To me, it is sitting on the floor while your friend does her makeup, listening to songs we all know the lyrics to, and taking so many pictures that we end up having to delete half of them due to “no storage”.
Then, there is that moment when everyone is finally ready and the feeling that something fun is about to happen starts to take place. But what I believe is the funny part is that something fun has already happened.
I believe we underestimate these little moments because they don’t always feel important while they are happening. They are not necessarily the moments we plan for. As we get older, friends have different schedules, different classes, and sometimes are even in different cities, which makes getting everyone together not as easy as it used to be. That is what makes those casual nights together feel even more special.
One day, we might look back and realize that we were living through a moment of our lives that we will never get back. Maybe we will miss sitting around getting ready more than we miss wherever we were going or asking our friends if our outfit looked okay.
I believe growing up has made me realize that memories are not always created during the big moments, but in the most random places, such as standing in someone’s bedroom, getting ready in a bathroom, or laughing so hard that you can’t even remember what started it.
Similarly, I believe that we are always waiting for the next thing to happen. The next party, the next trip, the next semester, the next chapter. But life is also happening meanwhile.
So, the next time you get ready with your friends, do not rush through it. Put on your favorite song, take pictures, dance around the room, and let your friends borrow your makeup. Stay in the moment for just a little longer before everyone grabs their bags and leaves the house. Because the night does not actually start when you leave your house. It starts when the playlist comes on, your friends walk through the door, and everyone begins getting ready. And that will be the part you remember most.