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Community Corner

Going through age milestones

Turning 18 seems to be one of the biggest days of our lives, so why does it not seem any different?

For some reason, certain ages become milestones in our lives.

Starting all the way back to turning age 1, parents can’t help but throw a blue or pink color scheme themed party. They’re usually full of adults who you won’t remember and other 1-year-olds who won’t remember you back, but you do have those dreaded baby pictures to remember the occasion.

The next “big day” is the 13th: the day a pre-teen becomes a teenager. There are no benefits; you still can’t buy rubber cement or lottery ticket scratch offs, you can’t even drive yet; nonetheless, it’s labeled an important date for some reason.

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MTV made the next day famous: the sweet 16. I am extremely confused on why turning 16 is such a big deal besides getting your driver’s license. Three years ago, you just had a blowout for turning 13, isn’t that enough? Just go to a movie or something. I guess nothing says "Happy birthday" like being able to solitarily operate a machine that has the potential to kill someone.

Most high school seniors are going through this next birthday bash: turning 18. I actually just experienced this a couple weeks ago, and I have to say not much has changed.

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I guess it feels good to know that if I rob a bank that I will go to the adult jail instead. Also, it’s exhilarating to know that I can go buy certain adhesives at Walmart and get a little butterfly tattoo or semi-meaningful quote that reads something nauseating about love without parental consent. I can go to a few clubs legally in St. Louis and can vote, which are definite plusses, but besides that, turning 18 could be included as just another day.

I’m sure we all know what the next big day is: the day we get married and love prevails into our lives brightening up our entire world.

Just kidding, it’s turning 21 of course. I think turning 21 is the biggest milestone marker and not because it’s the legal drinking age (which you are all obviously thinking). Age 21 really is the true day that we become adults. For some reason, we’re still considered teenagers up until then even though 18 is supposed to be that turning point. We’ll be juniors in college and we have had a few years to live on our own without our parents. Some of us may even be in apartments or even married. We can legally do everything an adult does and have full responsibility over ourselves.

Even though we look the same the day before we turn a certain age and the day after, certain ages are still considered the biggest alterations of our lives. Hopefully it won’t take a night in jail to hit me that I’m 18 now.

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