Growing up is hard to do. In fact, it's very hard sometimes.
I know some of us are older or younger than some of our friends out there, but I think all of us are pretty close to the same age. We're all in our early to mid 20s, trying to figure out what it means to be an adult. It's hard to really pinpoint what that means at this age.
Legally you're a full-fledged adult when you pass the grand old age of 21. But what does that mean really? You can drink? You can vote? You can sign contracts? You can be tried as an adult in the court of law? What? While all of those things are true, most of us won't have to worry about the whole "being tried by the court of law" thing, some of us don't drink, voting only comes once every few years and how often do we have to sign contracts?
No, what I'm talking about is what does it mean to be an adult on a day to day basis and where do you stand at in the "age game" when you are not quite 30 but you are not a teenager anymore? Especially with older adults, it's hard to find your place. Parents and bosses at work want you to be responsible and dependable when it comes to important matters such as finances or tasks you have to do at work or at home. But while they are finally allowing you a place at the adult table, they are harping at you at the same time to get back to the kiddy table when you want to take a chance or a risk.
My parents want Randy and I to be financially independent and not have to come to them anymore for any financial reasons, but since he and I are now financially independent, have savings accounts, etc - and we have the money to buy things for our apartment or go on vacations - that's when the parents come swooping in with their speech on saving and not spending any money. "Don't go to the movies." "Don't go out to eat, it's too expensive." "Don't take a trip there, you should save your money." "Don't buy that furniture, just use what's in our basement."
Or when you're at work, and you are the only person in your position in the company and you are therefore on your own when it comes to projects and getting tasks done - you are eager to get to work and accomplish something and be noticed. But when you take initiative and suggest things or ask for things to do - you are shot down. Your boss comes in and looks down his nose at you because in the salaried positions, you are the youngest one there. My suggestions hold no value, they consider them and then listen to the older adults who suggest my same idea 5 minutes later. Because apparently old adults know best and young 20-somethings know nothing. When in fact, I know more people our age who can figure anything out on a computer, type like the wind and can text message like crazy(where you see old people pecking away at keyboards and having to ask questions to the easiest answers that a 12 year old could tell them about a computer); I know more people our age with more innovative and diverse opinions who welcome change and new ideas(older adults scoff at change and few go for real creativity); and I know more people our age who could solve any problem with a quick 2 minute discussion and decide on something that works(whereas adults have to have a big conference meeting about it and it could take them days to figure out)
The point is, I hate being stuck in this "in-between" stage. I'm sick of older adults acting like they are the smartest people on earth because they are older. Because more often than not, I think younger adults have the best ideas and would get a lot more done in a day especially the kind of young adult that has that "older maturity" to be responsible. We are the future of the country or this world, we are the ones who will be making the decisions when all the old people pass away. Maybe they should start taking us and our decisions seriously for a change.
Legally you're a full-fledged adult when you pass the grand old age of 21. But what does that mean really? You can drink? You can vote? You can sign contracts? You can be tried as an adult in the court of law? What? While all of those things are true, most of us won't have to worry about the whole "being tried by the court of law" thing, some of us don't drink, voting only comes once every few years and how often do we have to sign contracts?
No, what I'm talking about is what does it mean to be an adult on a day to day basis and where do you stand at in the "age game" when you are not quite 30 but you are not a teenager anymore? Especially with older adults, it's hard to find your place. Parents and bosses at work want you to be responsible and dependable when it comes to important matters such as finances or tasks you have to do at work or at home. But while they are finally allowing you a place at the adult table, they are harping at you at the same time to get back to the kiddy table when you want to take a chance or a risk.
My parents want Randy and I to be financially independent and not have to come to them anymore for any financial reasons, but since he and I are now financially independent, have savings accounts, etc - and we have the money to buy things for our apartment or go on vacations - that's when the parents come swooping in with their speech on saving and not spending any money. "Don't go to the movies." "Don't go out to eat, it's too expensive." "Don't take a trip there, you should save your money." "Don't buy that furniture, just use what's in our basement."
Or when you're at work, and you are the only person in your position in the company and you are therefore on your own when it comes to projects and getting tasks done - you are eager to get to work and accomplish something and be noticed. But when you take initiative and suggest things or ask for things to do - you are shot down. Your boss comes in and looks down his nose at you because in the salaried positions, you are the youngest one there. My suggestions hold no value, they consider them and then listen to the older adults who suggest my same idea 5 minutes later. Because apparently old adults know best and young 20-somethings know nothing. When in fact, I know more people our age who can figure anything out on a computer, type like the wind and can text message like crazy(where you see old people pecking away at keyboards and having to ask questions to the easiest answers that a 12 year old could tell them about a computer); I know more people our age with more innovative and diverse opinions who welcome change and new ideas(older adults scoff at change and few go for real creativity); and I know more people our age who could solve any problem with a quick 2 minute discussion and decide on something that works(whereas adults have to have a big conference meeting about it and it could take them days to figure out)
The point is, I hate being stuck in this "in-between" stage. I'm sick of older adults acting like they are the smartest people on earth because they are older. Because more often than not, I think younger adults have the best ideas and would get a lot more done in a day especially the kind of young adult that has that "older maturity" to be responsible. We are the future of the country or this world, we are the ones who will be making the decisions when all the old people pass away. Maybe they should start taking us and our decisions seriously for a change.