Growing Up

An adult is supposed to be financially independent, if not he or she remains forever an over-grown child. The standards of success change constantly while one is growing up and without notice. This abrupt alteration of the old standards usually leaves one feeling like a mighty failure.

During childhood all that is expected that one comes home with an “s” checked in the conduct box and a few A’s evenly spread throughout the classes. This creates the illusion that with a good education one can go anywhere – did you ever want to be an astronaut and travel to the moon? Then the awkward teen years come around where one’s body betrays them and parents are sworn enemies. Academic success is now a major priority with higher-learning possibilities on the horizon. However, the standard is not completely black and white anymore instead a few bits of moral ambiguity are thrown in. For instance girls are not supposed to succumb to the sinful sex that leads to unwed single parenthood and young boys are meant for higher and more enriching things that run from either being a man’s man or sowing his wild oats perhaps even both. Usually, a mixture of the old rules and the new play tend to be ones downfall. Teenagers are not completely sure how to handle such pressure and double standards that most of the time they simply throw it all away and rebel.

The glass was once half-full now it is half-empty. The college years roll in and one is hit by the whirlwind effect that such a lifestyle brings. Academic norms of old still remain and so do the new double standard. However, now the pressure is on for one can no longer be a ballerina or that damn astronaut because practicality is a high priority and besides mommy is not willing to help pay all the way to the doctorate level – she does not care what your dissertation is going to be about. Instead one enrolls in the Business Administration department and settles. Which in turn creates the eternal angst of having to be a so and so major that has nothing to do with your dreams. In turn, one creates those false hopes of one day having your master's degree in Accounting but will drop it all at the drop of a hat to open that coffee shop you always wanted to have with your best friend and read books all day. Ultimately, one realizes that they have put everything on the proverbial back burner to deal with the harshness of reality.

Sadly, this sorting out of priorities diminishes the quality of life by squashing the very fire that made one ready to jump at the drop of the hat. The knowledge that one will never achieve rock stardom, the lost magic of daddy being able to reach the cookies atop the fridge; without these things life turns bland and a bit repetitive. While stumbling about the world as a pseudo adult one begins to see things and feel things that were never so complex while parent's still informed us that we were special. However, out of this tragedy comes great potential because we slowly and painfully begin to find out who we are instead what we are supposed to be. Growing up is this horrible period where nothing fits – religion, jobs, dream, nothing. But that is where you discover one's personal brand of “spice of life”. Lastly, I would like to quote an obscure Seth Green dressed in drag:

“Honey, if you got a hunchback... throw a little glitter on it and go dancing!”