Hey guys! It’s Hannah here and today, May 5, 2020, is my twentieth birthday.
If you couldn’t guess, this is not how I pictured my twentieth birthday. I thought I’d be with my friends, my sisters, maybe at some small show in Indianapolis just so we had somewhere to go out and dance. Instead, I’ve been home for a month and I just finished my finals yesterday, bringing my second year at Purdue to a close.
I’ve seen tons of posts online and even been on a few zoom calls with my sisters who are also having to “celebrate” their birthdays in quarantine. It’s hard to celebrate with the state of the world right now. In the months prior to quarantine, I was just so excited to be 20 and celebrate. Now with the somber tone of the world and more time for reflection, I’m remembering all the amazing teenage memories and trends that are now officially ending with the era for me.
Starting highschool. My middle school friend group making new high school friends. Countless One Direction and Taylor Swift dance parties. Blanket scarves. Birkenstocks. Always wearing leggings as real pants. Just driving around for fun with my friends and listening to music because it feels so free and let’s face it we had nowhere better to go. Selfies. Horrible Instagram filters. First jobs. Across the country road trips where I spent who knows how many hours in a cramped van and ended up sleeping in a small tent with two of my best friends in the pouring rain for about a week. First dates. Horrible hair dye experiences because I was a teenager who wanted some impossible hair color that I don’t understand any of the chemistry about. (let me save you some time and money, accept your natural hair now so that when you realize how much you love it, it isn’t ruined beyond repair) Graduating high school. Moving out and starting college. First college friends. First college parties and tailgates. Rushing and questioning the entire process, but then finding exactly what I was looking for in my sisters. My first game in Mackey Arena as a student. My first game in Mackey Arena front row as a Paint Crew board member. Switching majors. Ok, fine, switching majors a few times. Being elected to be on Kappa Delta Theta Nu’s council as Vice President - Public Relations. First internships. Breaking out of the cookie cutter. Many beach trips. Realizing no one actually has it all figured out. Starting to really love life and wanting to live it to the fullest.
Looking back now...yeah, my teen years were really good.
Sure, I still cringe at some of the awkward teenage memories we all share, but I feel so grateful to reflect back on my teen years and feel a mixture of nostalgia and appreciation I forgot I had for them. But I am even more grateful to bring so many people who made my teen years so memorable into my twenties.
I have so many plans for my twenties and no plans at all at the same time. I think that's the best way to take on your twenties. I am full of hope and excitement for this new chapter in my life, even though it may not be starting out the way I had imagined. I woke up this morning really excited to be 20 years old. I can’t wait to make many more amazing, cringey, heartwarming, heart wrenching, and unforgettable memories throughout my twenties, and I am so glad my sisters will be by my side for them.
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