An Open Letter To People Turning 18 – From a 24-year-old

I turned 18 almost six years ago. And this is my open letter to people who are turning 18!

Dear everyone who is turning 18,

Happy Birthday! 

You have finally turned 18. Were you not waiting for this day since your 13th birthday? The anticipation, the thrill, and the freedom, all wrapped up in your 18th. You had plans to party like a maniac. That favorite sequinned dress you got from a 50% sale is still hanging. You had plans. Plans which are now dead because of COVID-19.

Also, this is me. A 24-year-old, who is writing this letter to you on your 18th. I wish I could have told you about the best cafes or bars to party at.

Nonetheless, there is still something that I want to share with you today. A few life lessons that I have learned in the last 6 years. So, get ready, this might not be what you had expected.

School Days Are Over!

The school days are finally over & you can’t wait to go to college! But trust me, you are going to miss your school days, really bad. I know, you must be thinking, “Naah, it can’t be. I won’t miss my school days”.

But let me tell you something. College is an illusion. You will make a bunch of friends too. But don’t forget your roots aka your school friends. They know you inside out and will always be there for you!

Heartbreaks

Heartbreaks at turning 18 are way too common. It is going to knock you down umpteen times. But you will recover. You may take months & even years to recover but this path will teach you lessons that will be savored by you for the rest of your life. So don’t be afraid, live & love openly!

At 18, you would want to live your best life. A life with a lot of cars rides with friends, planning that elusive Goa trip, sneaking out at midnight to wish your friend a happy birthday, and whatnot.

Rebellious

Take it from someone who has been at crossroads with her parents. Your rebellious genes will take over your senses and you will be fighting with your parents. A lot.

There are going to be disagreements, differences in opinions so on & so forth. You are going to be angry & mean to them. In the heat of the moment, you will end up blurting things that you will regret later. I can’t stop it and neither can you. But make sure once you realize what you did, you make it up to them.

Give me Money!

You only turn 18 once and also YOLO. And that’s why you are going to spend a lot of money. So much so that you might not even realize how meaningless some of these expenditures were. Your future self will blast you for this.

That’s why instead of waiting for your wiser future self, let me do that job for you. Do not overspend. Be mindful of where and what you are spending on. Save some. This will help you in the long run and will also help you save for a few trips to the hills!

Struggles

Everyone has a unique set of struggles. No two individuals will ever be in the same position. It is highly likely that you will also have to wrestle with a few problems when you turn 18.

No one will prepare you for it & they will be as unique as they come. And when the time comes, you will be prepared for them! 🙂

I wish I could tell you something more. But like I said, we are individuals meant to live a life as unique as a snowflake. We are destined for greater things and at 18, we don’t take this into account. Now that you have turned 18, get ready! Life has just started!

Yours sincerely,

A 24-year-old.