GROWING UP FEELS LIKE A TEENAGE DREAM, UNTIL IT DOESN’T

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teenage dream

Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS (2023)

“They all say that it gets better, it gets better the more you grow
But what if I don’t?”

I used to believe that by the time I reached my twenties, I would already have everything figured out. Growing up always sounded like clarity to me — finally knowing who I am, what I want, and where I’m going. But now, standing only a few months away from graduation, I feel more uncertain than ever.

Strangely, everyone assumes we have a plan.
“What’s next?” they ask, as if there is supposed to be a clear answer waiting for us. The truth is, I honestly don’t know. And that scares me.

What if I never figure it out?
What if I never become the version of myself I imagined when I was younger?
What if this so-called “best time of our lives” is actually just a confusing transition that nobody prepared us for?

As I grow older, I’m beginning to understand that not every dream unfolds the way we imagined it would. Sometimes adulthood is less about having answers and more about learning how to live with uncertainty.

Maybe the beauty of this stage in life is not about reaching some grand destination as quickly as possible. Maybe it is about allowing ourselves to grow slowly, without constantly feeling pressured to become “successful” overnight.

Because adulthood is not a straight line.
It is simply taking one uncertain step at a time.

So if you are also staring into the unknown, wondering whether you are doing enough, let this be a reminder: we are allowed to take our time. The world may expect us to have everything figured out already, but that does not mean we actually have to.

We are still young.
We still have time.

And maybe – just maybe – it really does get better the more we grow.