Feel old yet?

The life clock. It only goes up to 84 though...

 

I may only be 16 but sometimes I feel like I've been around for much, much longer. I'm partially waiting for the grey hairs to appear to be honest. But why this peculiar feeling? I guess it has to be the realisation that life is changing and quickly as well.

 

I have a good memory but it's very selective. I cannot tell you what I did last Wednesday but I can visualise my first day of Year 7 clearly enough. After Big Ben chimed at midnight on New Year's Day, I told everyone on a Whatsapp group to relax. " We still have five months before our GCSE's!", and those five months might as well have been five days...

 

Up to the start of exams, I was stressed. Anyone who felt any sort of pressure to do well this summer would have been too and maybe they still are. As a friend of mine pointed out (Not someone I met online!), people my age have been building up to this for 6 years. From the start of SATs or entrance exams through to our KS3 SATs to now. Not to mention every internal assessment ( You do 50 assessments a term in my school). It's been a strain and yet I've heard some adults say secondary school is the best time of your life.

 

They might have a point though. I've had some good memories since year 7 full of laughter and fun. I've learnt many things, not just academically, but about life and people too. Things like there are some very weird people in existence. I experience a few of them on a day to day basis.

 

But then again, it's the cliché case of adults wishing they were children again. They're not alone as there are children who wish they were adults. I'm one of them admittedly. Driving a car, living in a flat with my mates and travelling is a dream of a possible future for me. Plus I'm pretty annoyed I haven't grown in height in like a year and a half... Others have it different. They're already six foot and do 'adult' things albeit underage: they drink, smoke, get high and have sex.

Don't believe the lies. 80 is definitely the new 21.

Yet there are also teenagers wishing they were younger again. The stress of teenage life, school and puberty can make those innocent days of being a 5 year old a lifetime ago...

If you search for the actors and actresses from your favourite childhood shows, I suggest you get ready to lie down from the mind blowing news you're going to receive. Remember Ashley Tisdale? Yeah she's 30 this year and she's married. And Zack and Cody (Dylan and Cole Sprouse)? They just graduated from college, nine years after The Suite Life first aired. Since then innocent Hannah Montana has turned into a half naked wrecking ball rider as well.

I've been made full aware of the negative side of adult life by a number of adults, albeit they're all classic African 'aunties' and 'uncles' who aren't actually your aunties and uncles... But anyway, make the most of your youth while you've got it. I know it's hard with the stress but just do something regularly that makes you happy. Whether that's partying, writing, singing or playing sport so be it.

If you're my age, in two years you're out of college/sixth form. Those two years will go by like a flash and suddenly you're a free adult regardless of whether you go to university or not. Some will like that instant freedom, some may not.

Despite the signs that we're growing up constantly flashing up around us, you can afford to stay young for that little bit more time. You won't regret it.