“He saw mankind going through life in a childlike… manner, which he loved and also despised at the same time” (Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha). It’s scary to grow up, yet I desire it anyway. I want to keep my careless, innocent childhood with me, yet I’m willing to give it up for the respect and freedom that comes from adulthood. Although the uncertainty of the future is suspenseful and nerve-wracking, it’s exciting and stimulating.

Currently, we are all on a journey to finding out who we really are, regardless of our age since we are constantly changing, both physically and mentally. However, for me, that journey of self-discovery feels that it’s only the beginning. As a child, I always had the assumption that there is such a thing as a “normal person.” I failed to realize that not everyone is the same. I always believed that there was a mold that you had to be placed into in order to be accepted in the eyes of others. But I’ve realized that people have different identities, personalities, ethnicities, sexualities, and many other differences. I don’t want to stop myself from growing up so that I can discover who I am and what makes me unique.

Once you’re finally old enough to be called “grown-up,” no adult would start saying that you can’t do something because “you’re too young to understand.” No curfew, no restrictions on buying items, not having to go to places you don’t want to, etc. Adults always look down on you thinking that you are incapable of doing things. But they don’t realize that “Kids work harder than adults, but only if you treat them like adults” (Akira Kurosaw, Seven Samurai). They assume that we can’t survive on our own or handle freedom without having someone constantly hold our hands. We all have been looked down upon just because of our age.

Our physical age doesn’t necessarily represent our own knowledge and intelligence. However, our mental age looks into one’s intelligence compared to the average and typical intellectual ability of individuals at a certain age. For example, even though a child is usually naive, ignorant, and not that intelligent, there are some children who have defined those stereotypes and are actually extremely intelligent and smart, especially for their age. Many people have failed to differentiate between our physical age with our mental age, which is why many people may assume that you’re incapable of having control of your own life.

You have yet to discover who you are. We are constantly changing with every day being a step closer to acknowledging your capabilities and strengths. Don’t let others push their assumptions and doubts onto yourself. Not knowing what will happen in your future is both nerve-wracking and exciting. However, even though the useless possibilities of what lies ahead may have bad experiences. You can use those experiences as an advantage for you to learn from your mistakes and grow into the best person you can possibly be.