Having recently turned 20, I’m having what I could only describe as a ‘quarter life crisis’.
Turning 20 to me was like doomsday, the end of my youth as I know it and a reminder that I am completely unaccomplished for my age. Most of my friends and peers I consulted were completely blase’ about the whole ‘post traumatic 20th birthday’ stress, I seemed to have developed. To them it was just another birthday, another year past, or being in their early twenties, told me to shut up and stop being so bloody melodramatic!
It shouldn’t matter because nothing really changes right? It’s not like I woke up on my birthday with a head of grey hair, or face full of wrinkles! Physically I am the exact same person, just distraught at the thought of the treacherous 20!
So I’ve come to the conclusion I’m in denial about my age….So far, to the best of my knowledge, these are the most obvious signs you are in denial about turning/being 20 (based on observation & personal experience):
1. You offer to show the people at the Bottle-O or clubs your ID
2. You’re still on your parents medicare card & force your mum to accompany you to the doctors
3. You ask people who don’t know you to guess how old you are (hoping they’ll say you look younger!)
4. You abuse your younger friends when they remind you of your age.
5. You cringe at the number 20 and swear it’s a bad omen.
6. You still have no idea what you want to do as a career, but you continue to study like you have all the time in the world to figure it out.
8. You’ve created a bucket-list full of things you wanted to accomplish when you were like 17 or of unrealistic novelties – such as form a band like you said you were going to in high school or meet Vance Joy and convince him to marry you.
9. You get cut when your parents tell you to ‘get your own dinner’ or ‘pay for your own shit’
10. You still take kids panadol, because capsules are to hard to swallow.
11. When people ask your age you tell them your 19, forgetting your actual age.
12. You talk about things that happened 3 years ago like they only happened yesterday.
13. You still think your going to grow up to be the next Marina (out of Marina and the Diamonds)
14. When you ask your parents for a lift at 2am and expect them to be thrilled to see you/hear from you.
15. When you still think it’s acceptable to order a happy meal and ask for the toy
16. When you refuse to catch public transport on your own because it’s ‘dangerous’, or do anything on your own.
17. When you categorise people in their twenties as ‘lame’ or a ‘bad time’, forgetting you, yourself are 20 +
Unfortunately for us there is no antidote for aging, only anti-aging face creams and plastic surgeons. Although it seems as though our youth is slowly dwindling away, we must embrace our 20’s with open arms; although leaving the comfort of our teens is scary, I’m sure the 20’s can’t be that daunting? Can they?
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