To those who are reading this, I ask you to ponder your age, maturity, and your looming adulthood. For some, this is close. I myself will be a legal adult in under a year, and for me, it means I can vote, sign my own legal documents, move out of my childhood home, and download Uber. All of these come with having lived 18 years, but why is 18 so significant? The government seems to think we have gotten all of our adolescent shenanigans out by that time, but this is obviously not true. Just look at high school seniors. Most still need help to wake up on time in the morning for school. How could they possibly be expected to keep themselves alive? Yet they do. This is because when they are granted to opportunity for independence, they jump in without a second thought, then flounder, and eventually learn how to swim. This process is equivalent to a cruel swimming lesson.

This time is when legal adults learn to become true adults. Few go into this process with maturity, but those who do tend to have an easier time in some ways. These people tend to be more successful and stable in many aspects but are also lonelier because they are so focused on the difficult responsibilities of adulthood: financial stability, health, education, employment, politics, and solving all of the world’s problems. On the other hand, the majority of 18-year old’s have their focus on the social scene and enjoying life in this short yet pivotal point. These two perspectives are very different, yet both have the same goal: living life to the fullest and most complete.

Both perspectives are fine but are equally lacking. Neither will lead to the fantastical vision we all see no matter how practical and realistic one is. Everyone has a glamorized goal they see on their horizon, but by following either of these parts, whether it be the “YOLO Street ” or “Doomsday Planner Lane”, you will end up sad, unfulfilled, and lacking. Live needs to be lived with both perspectives, an enjoyment of the moment and a consciousness of the future. All parts of life are beautiful and are worth enjoying, even if they seem difficult and unideal in the moment. More likely than not, one day you will look back on that time fondly and wish you had decided to sit there a moment longer. Do not give yourself the opportunity to wish you had enjoyed it more, just do it. As a wise man once said, “I wish you could know you are in the good old days before you’ve left them,”.

To leave you with some final words, 18 is not a magic number that gives you worldly knowledge and clarity. If anything, it makes you more confused than you were at 17. Maturity comes through experience, prioritizing values, responsibility, and growth. For some, maturity can come at 16, while others may not receive it until their 20s. It is highly individual and something to work towards. But whichever way you come to achieve maturity and true adulthood, remember to enjoy it and look forward to what is to come.