When I grow up…

Oh, the joys of summer- staying up all night and sleeping in, hanging out with friends, laying by the pool, taking vacations, basically doing whatever your little heart desires.

Until now.

Now I don’t want to complain, because I still love summer more than anything and I’ve been very blessed to have the kind of summer I’m having so far. I’ve gotten to do all of the things summertime is made up of.

However, I feel like more of an adult than I ever have this summer. The past two summers I’ve gotten to frolic in LA and South Africa- learning, yes, but let’s be real, I was in foreign places (yes California is pretty foreign compared to Arkansas). This summer I’m waking up every morning at 6:30 a.m. to reel students into student media, reply to 8397249 emails a day, edit and post web stories and take a summer school class (which I vowed to NEVER do). I’m also not very good at not bringing home work.

And now, I’m looking for a second summer job. Reality is setting in and saving money is becoming more important in my life than I’ve ever realized.

I’m growing up. Despite eating apple sauce nearly every day for breakfast, calling my mom when I’m having a breakdown, getting sheer enjoyment out of the Disney channel and loving pink and bows and glitter oh so very much, I’m growing up. *sigh*

Of course there are wonderful things to look forward to as I get older, building a relationship with my future husband and having a beautiful family as well as having the freedom to choose my path for the rest of my life.

This is a quote from one of my favorite t.v. shows as a “kid”, The Wonder Years, that I think sums up things pretty well.

“Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what’s to come. But that night, I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come. The thing is, we didn’t have to hate each other for getting older. We just had to forgive ourselves for growing up.”