Life's Milestones

The other day I got into a conversation with a friend about the things most people look forward to in life based on age. Below are the ages that most deem as significant factors in growing up and becoming older:

13 years old
This is the age in which you go from being an adolescent pre-teen to a full blown teenager. It's also the age during which you make the transition from middle school to high school, your body continues to go through pretty big changes not only physically but also mentally and emotionally, and you begin to gain this keen sense of independence and self-awareness.

Personally, 13 was a big deal for me, but didn't seem so significant anymore once I hit high school. You go from being on top in middle school to being at the very bottom of the totem pole in high school. For me, this saying was quite literal since our mascot was an Indian and there was a spirit totem pole that many of my school's traditions were based off of.

16 years old
The age at which many people are eligible to get their driver's license...if your parents let you that is. An even bigger sense of freedom and independence is gained at 16 since most people no longer have to rely on their parents to tote them around from place to place. You either have a car of your own or happen to have a friend who does. Either way, a new level of cool is reached now that mommy and daddy have no need to come and pick you up or drop you off. However, if your parents can't afford to get you a car OR don't allow you to get your license than 16 no longer seems so important.

18 years old
The age at which you are officially considered an adult and no longer a teenager. Most people graduated high school and go away to college at this age. It's the age at which one is legally allowed to purchase cigarettes, attend rated R movies on your own, get into some night clubs and bars, and, if you work in a restaurant, it's the age at which you are allowed to sell alcoholic items.

Unlike the earlier milestones, the sense of freedom that comes with 18 is even greater since it is very literal. You are now considered an adult and cannot rely on mommy and daddy to bail you out of trouble. Many parents choose to cut the strings and let their children "live." With 18 comes a lot of responsibility that many don't fully grasp until years later...which results in hardships and trouble.

21 years old
Ah...the age at which you are legally allowed to purchase alcohol as well as drink it in public. This age really isn't that big of a deal for many since older friends are quite common...especially in a college setting and many people have been drunk on more than one occasion before this "sacred" right of passage is reached. In all honesty, it's really just another excuse to get wasted and make memories that you reminisce upon when you're older.

25 years old
The age of cheaper car insurance and finally being able to rent a car on your own. And that's about it...

After 25, what else is there to look forward to aside from the progression of life?

I have to admit this conversation got me kind of depressed...especially since I just turned 25 and felt as like my world was on the verge of ending. However, the truth is there is a lot to look forward once these milestones are surpassed. With age comes wisdom, experience and self-discovery. The older I get, the younger I become in a sense. I am more comfortable in my own skin and confident then I have ever been and, as a result, more inclined to do things that I wouldn't have done at a younger age even if I could. This conversation made me realize just how much stock we put on "life's milestones."

I say act as old as you feel...within in reason of course :)