Old is a state of mind. Grown up, well that one is a little more complicated. I remember being the bride at the shower.....I was the first of my friends to get married, age 22, with most of my girls still in school and living the carefree life. It was like a big game for me, getting all that cool new stuff for our first home, having parties and showers, etc etc. My first reality check was drifting away from my old posse. We just didn't have enough in common anymore and I didn't have the time to invest in trying to stay a part of the group.
The good news is, you will meet new friends who are in the same place you are. Actually, the first few years post-college are actually more carefree in many ways. My first year of marriage was one big party. Our bills were relatively few, we had a lot of discretionary income because we had cheap rent and only one car payment, and since we stayed in town we still had friends who we could go out with. You go to work and you leave your job there at the end of the day, unlike school where there is studying and homework to do. Once we came home from work it was party time.....no one to answer to and nothing to worry about. We'd go out with this other couple we knew from school who had gotten married right away and have a blast, 6 or 7 nights a week. And at the end of the night the hubby and I got to go home together....
unlike during school. Before the kids come you have such total freedom!!!
Even now, with 2 kids, 2 dogs, a hefty mortgage and 2 SUVs, we still have fun. Saturday nights are reserved for us as a couple and we usually go to our favorite old standby, RAY'S where we used to hang out in college. We have a large group of friends ranging from mid-20s to middle age that we hang out with and we still do the same things and enjoy the same things we always did. Granted, babysitting can be an issue but I have a girl from the chapter who is our regular and I can count on. The thing is, you keep waiting for the day to come when you think differently and feel differently and you realize you're GROWN UP. But that day doesn't come. I am almost 32 and inside I don't feel any different than I did at 18. I make (usually!) better decisions now based on experience....I have people to think about other than just myself (namely my kids) so I have to be more responsible than I might otherwise be. But I understand now that I am the same person I was and always will be. The challenge for me now is to take care of myself so that when I am in my 50s and I want to keep on doing the things I have always loved, I will still be fit and healthy enough to do them.
Sorry for the long post, I just hate to see anyone so young get bummed out about getting "older...." Changes in your life are inevitable and graduating from college and moving on is definitely something you have to grieve a little, but believe me when I tell you that your fun is not over!
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