Only a few weeks ago, I turned 21 years old! Ten years ago, I thought that I would definitely be drinking black coffee, filing my taxes, and having a big girl job. As a kid, I truly thought future me would be super serious and collected. Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen. Instead, I’ve found myself clinging to habits, quirks, and guilty pleasures that I was sure I’d leave behind in my teenage years. Turns out, growing up isn’t about outgrowing everything, it’s about learning to laugh at the things that still stick.
- Video Games & CARTOONS
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When I was younger, I would always pass by the living room to see that my parents were watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead. I always thought to myself, “Huh, will I be watching that kind of stuff when I get older?”. It’s true that I have watched some young adult shows and movies, however, I can never let cartoons and anime go. Most recently, I watched K-Pop Demon Hunters on Netflix, and I can confidently say that it was probably the most entertaining movie I have watched in a long time! I was hesitant to watch it because it is intended for kids, but I do not regret it. Additionally, my friends and I still play video games meant for children. For instance, Minecraft and Roblox. We still play for hours on end.
- needing my Mom
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The number of times that I have to ask my mom for something should be studied. Unfortunately, little me thought that I would be doing my taxes by now. Nope! My mom does them for me; I would not be anywhere without her. The number of stains that I have gotten in my shirts and needed my mom’s help to get out is astronomical. She still calls to make doctor’s appointments for me. She even still helps me with my hair sometimes when I ask, and she’ll always say yes to everything I need. I cannot imagine a life without my mom, and I hope a lot of women can relate to that. I owe a lot to her, and I hope she knows how grateful I am.
- boy humor
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Guilty as charged! I will admit I am starting to fall behind on the new “brainrot” trends, however, once I know what they are I will absolutely find them hilarious. For example, the “italian brainrot” on TikTok; my sister and I would not stop joking about them. Even the whole “67” and “Group 7” on TikTok, I find absolutely hilarious. I was sitting in my finance class the other day and the professor told the class that the WACC percentage was 14.67%. I couldn’t help but smile, and some of my other classmates giggled as well. Even though we are college students, there’s always a childish sense of humor in us.
- Unhealthy Food
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Yep, I still eat sugary candy and snacks! I might not be a picky eater anymore, however, I still indulge in my favorite childhood foods that are definitely not good for you. I recently bought some Nutter Butter bites; they are currently my new obsession. I will also never turn down a good, sweet treat! To this day, I still ask my mom for an ice cream cake for my Birthday.
- Spending money
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When I was a teenager and I got my first job at a restaurant, I rarely spent any money. Now I am always convincing myself that I need a treat whether it’s a drink from Starbucks or new Ugg Boots. I think a part of that stems from my parents not buying everything for me anymore and that is just something that comes with growing up. When I was younger, I truly thought for some reason I’d be a millionaire by the time I was 21. That was in fact wrong, but I love my younger self’s optimism!
So maybe I haven’t outgrown my obsession with Minecraft, my irrational fear of calling to make appointments, or my tendency to rewatch the same comfort shows on loop. But honestly? I’m okay with that. Growing up doesn’t mean leaving behind every silly, cringey, or silly part of yourself. If being 21 still means doing things that are considered childish, then I am perfectly fine with that!