When I was in middle school I'd watch ""Boy Meets World"" and all I'd want was to go to John Adams High and eat a cheeseburger at Chubbie's Famous with Corey, Topanga and Sean. Forget recess and middle school dances. At the time, those shenanigans seemed boring compared to cool-high-school-teenager stuff, like going to pep rallies or driving around with friends with nothing on the agenda other than getting Frosties at Wendy's.
Kathleen: ""Moooooom, I'm sick of middle school. I want to be in high school.""
Mom: ""You're wishing your life away.""
Kathleen: ""Yeah, yeah, yeah.""
By the time I was in high school, both my brothers were in college. Forget about driving around aimlessly and buying Frosties. Once I visited them away at college, it was game, set, match. No class on Friday? I'll take that over waking up at 6:15 a.m. and having to run the stupid mile in gym any day.
Kathleen: ""Moooooom, I'm sick of high school. I want college.""
Mom: ""You're wishing your life away.""
Kathleen: ""Blah, blah, blah, blah.""
Now I'm 22 and a senior in college. I'm supposed to be the suave, worldly and intelligent 22-year-old person my middle school self hoped I'd be. Hmmm, something went wrong.
When older people hear my age they say, ""You're just a youngster."" So, does that mean I'm still a kid? Nah, I don't think so. I don't eat Flintstones Vitamins anymore, and sadly, I can't remember the last time I played night games, like ghosts in the graveyard.
Other people hear my age and say, ""You're ready to enter the real world; starting a new chapter in your life."" Does that mean I'm an adult? That's definitely debatable. The arguments against me being an adult are endless, so I won't even go there.
Young adult? What does that even mean? Sounds like some term stupid Carrie Bradshaw may have coined in ""Sex and the City."" I've only watched the show a few times, but man, she's super annoying.
Trying to define what constitutes someone my age seems pretty futile. I guess its importance is really neither here nor there. But, I do know that at 22, I'm still dealing with stuff I never imagined I would be. I may be legally able to drink, but shit, pass me a gummy vitamin; I'm still just a kid.
Cheers to…
Still getting the occasional acne outbreak
Seriously, I thought acne was teenager territory. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm not constantly breaking out, but every once in a while I wake up, look in the mirror and question, ""Wait am I 16 again?"" I know the occasional blemish for any student can be stress-induced, but I feel like God should have worked it out so that it wasn't so.
Still not knowing how to study for an exam
During a review session for a test I overheard someone say to his friend, ""Dude, the freshman that keeps raising his hand is such a noob. Does he not know how to study?"" The friend just rolled his eyes and nodded his head in agreement. I was really tempted to tap him on the shoulder and say something ""suave"" like, ""Hey Sherlock, if you're such a studying wizard, why don't you let us all in on your secrets?"" That probably would have really scared those punks.
But honestly, I feel like freshman get a lot of crap for getting overly anxious for an exam. Well, I'll admit it—I still do. For some classes, yeah, they give you a study guide and it's pretty obvious how to prepare. Other times the professor gives the 'ole ""If you've been to all the lectures and you've done all the reading, you're fine."" And to that I say, ""Thanks for nothing. Worst ‘advice' ever. Are you suggesting I reread every freaking assignment? Fat chance.""
So if you ever see me before an exam nervously tapping my foot and quickly flipping through my notes and you wonder if I'm a freshman, the answer is, ""No. I'm a senior. But I'm a freshman at heart.""
Still getting awkward when around a crush
Dealing with boys was a lot easier when I was younger and strongly believed they had cooties. I didn't know what cooties were, but boys had them, and I as sure as hell didn't want them.
Still sleeping with a blankie
Wait. Did I just admit that? I take it back. Actually, no I don't. I'm proud. If sleeping with your blankie since the day you were born is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
Are you in college and still dealing with stuff you thought you most definitely would have out grown by now? Please share with Kathleen at kqbrosnan@wisc.edu.
