As I get older, a birthday becomes something I wish I could avoid.
To me, a birthday is a day that I just want to get over with. It always seems to arrive only when I begin to get comfortable with my age. Growing up has many expectations. It can be really difficult to understand that we are not children anymore.
When I turned 20, I realized that I was not a child anymore. I had to get my life together and start working toward my future. After I started hearing “you’re 20 now” from my mom after every sentence, my ears ached.
There can be high expectations when it comes to your birthday. I subconsciously countdown until the day has arrived because the little kid trapped inside me can’t help but contain their excitement. However, as the years go by, things don’t quite feel as exhilarating as they used to. All the holidays like Christmas, Halloween and Easter used to be so magical, but now they feel different.
If your birthday doesn’t achieve the expectations you had in mind, you might feel let down. It’s hard to lower your standards when as a child, you looked forward to it.
A birthday is something that we cannot avoid, or procrastinate no matter what. It can feel overwhelming to have a day all about you. If you choose to throw a birthday party or do something fun with your friends, you’ll have to plan it. Some people love to plan events, but if you’re like me, planning can be stressful.
When I’m busy keeping up with my classes, it can be difficult to put some time aside and plan something fun for my birthday. It’s my birthday, why should I have to plan something?
My recommendation, at the very least, is that you need to try to do something special for yourself on this one day. Take advantage of those birthday promotions and try doing something small with the people who love you. Celebrate all the years before this one, and welcome a new year of possibilities.
This year, I am going to push myself to plan something or else I might have regrets. I will try my best to enjoy my birthday while appreciating a whole year full of new experiences; you should too.