Growing up has always been one of those things I wanted to do. 5 year old me couldn’t wait to be 10, 10 year old me couldn’t wait to be 16, and 16 year old me couldn’t wait to be 18. And yet, now I’m 2 weeks away from being an adult I wish I could cling on to my childhood and my life of no responsibility and a billion second chances. But as much as I wish it, I can’t. We’re all growing up, maturing whether we can feel it or not.
I’ve just come back from a week at a summer school, pretending to go to University for a week. It was great; I made amazing friends, actually improved my French skills and confidence immensely, even explored activities I wouldn’t usually explore. But I’d be lying if I said that the whole experience didn’t terrify me a little… (Or a lot…)
You see, at the end of the week we had this “mini graduation” ceremony. It was amazingly cute; we got gowns, scrolls, a ceremony, the whole shebang… and I couldn’t help but feel extremely old. I mean, yeah, I was only playing a Uni student for a few moments, but at one point I looked at the people around me, and the hall I was in and the scroll I was clutching and I remembered where I was this time a year ago.
I feel exactly the same, but it’s not until I look at what I’ve done in the last school year that I realise how much I’ve actually changed. I went away from home, four hours away from home, by myself to a summer school where I knew absolutely no one. I had no friends by my side, no family, and a year ago that would have absolutely terrified me. This time last year no way would I have written a blog! This time last year I wouldn’t have let my closest friends read anything that I’d written at all. Last summer I vowed to do so much, but the odds are this time last year I was lounging on a sofa, thinking about what the next year would bring and binging on Netflix.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve still watched a ridiculous amount of Netflix this summer. However, I’ve also gone out and done work experience, written an academic essay, hung out with my friends, done 2 summer schools and applied for and started a part-time job. It only began occurring to me when I looked at that scroll in my hand, that without even trying to I’ve grown older and I’ve matured. I don’t feel very different at all, and I think often as teenagers we discredit ourselves and believe that we haven’t made any progress at all. I’m pretty sure, regardless of your age, if any of you look back and what you’d done a year ago and what you’ve done now, you’ll realise that you’ve done a lot more than you give yourself credit for.
Even if it’s nothing physical, look at the person you were a year ago compared to the person you are now. Are you more confident? More reserved? More self-assured? More mature? I guarantee you there will be something.
We should be proud of the people that we’ve become, but we should never forget the people that we’ve come from. As sung in one of my favourite musicals: “There’s pride in my heart because I know where I’m going, but I know where I’ve been”. Never forget the spirit you had as a 10 year old, or that ridiculous confidence you had when you were 5. Hold on to it all. Use it to grow. Let it help mould you.
Yeah, we’re ageing. But that doesn’t mean we still can’t be kids from time to time.
Read, comment, and don’t take anything personally. Remember, we’re all still forming opinions. Byeeeee!
Still Forming Opinions... 