Most of my childhood consisted of creativity, whether it was through music, painting, film, etc. I feel that both my parents instilled in me ways to make my world colorful, both literally and figuratively. I was always a reserved child and I was not super vocal about much. I was more of a thinker-doer. My mind was consistently stimulated because expression for me was not solely through words. 

I was mainly curious about adults. It is natural for children to wonder what it is like to be an adult, but I used to observe adult figures around me everywhere I went. I would watch their mannerisms, how they spoke, what they wore and it all seemed so foreign. To me, adults were a whole other species. I used to imitate them, and as a child, grown-ups can do no wrong and nothing is in control of them. 

I consistently thought of what I wanted to be when I grew up and the type of life I would have. It was all so vivid and drawn out perfectly. 

My mother knew that about me, and she encouraged my imagination until she would hit me with the “Don’t try and grow up too fast” line. 

She would tell me that being a child is only for a short-term period, and then you get to be an adult for the rest of your life. All I can say is she was right, and still is.

Adulthood tends to be glamorized toward children and teens when educating them. Though it is important to inspire the youth to strive toward success and future goals, it should not be overemphasized. The idea of being an adult is attractive to those that are younger because of what is presented to them. Oftentimes, we associate adults with freedom, money, power, success but as we grow and develop, those perceptions can become distorted as we learn about the negative flip side and the harsh realities. Suddenly, being an adult is intimidating and we are underprepared for it as it rapidly approaches.

My curiosity about adulthood has immensely changed because I am already in the early stages. In fact, it has grown more as I have gotten closer to becoming a full-fledged adult. Honestly, I am not sure it will ever end. There is always something new to be learned, and every day is an experience.