Before the Summer holidays began, schools, colleges and universities said goodbye to this year’s batch of terrified and confused, students & graduates, throwing them out into the big wide world. Welcome to ‘adulting’ everyone! Spoiler alert: get ready for continuous concerns about taxes, difficulties finding a job and the never ending responsibilities.
Do you ever feel like you must have missed the vital ‘adulting’ lessons? Me too. Do you think that everyone else around you seems to know things that you don’t? Trust me, they don’t. As far as I am aware, it is okay to feel confused and feel a bit adrift at this stage in your life.
Here’s the truth: no one really teaches you about how to become an adult.
Being an adult isn’t something you are, it’s something you do, in small ways, every day. Some people try to grow up quickly, whilst others (like me) try to avoid it. Just because people on your newsfeed seem to be mastering the adult life, this should have no bearing on your life. Becoming an adult is a process that people go through at different paces, and when you do, you should still try to be a child from time to time.
As I get older, I have realised that I would go back to being 5 in a heartbeat. How boring would life be if you didn’t have a little fun acting like a child? I will never stop being youthful with a free spirit because life is better that way. Don’t get me wrong though;
Some aspects of adulting is quite fun: the freedom to travel the world, the freedom to make your own decisions, and no one telling you to eat all of your vegetables at dinner… but staying connected with your inner child is important.
I think the perfect balance is to be a little bit of an adult and a little bit of a child at the same time. Not taking ourselves too seriously and being a bit ridiculous every so often can be the best medicine – with the right dosage, of course. So, you’re now entering the big and scary world. Just go with the flow. Keep learning, keep imagining and keep having fun! Be an adult when you need to, and be a child when you can.
‘Don’t grow up too fast, darling. Age is inevitable, but if you nurture your childlike heart, you’ll never, ever grow old’. – Beth Hoffman
Written by Grace Smith.
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