The "In-Betweener" Twenty-Something

Let's talk strange. Today I attended one of my best friend's little sister's high school graduation parties. It's surreal to think that those who were only 8th graders when I graduated high school (which feels like yesterday!) are now graduating high school and heading into their adult lives. The situation became even weirder as two of my old high school classmates also got married today in two separate weddings. When did this happen?! When were babies suddenly going to college, people my age getting married, and I become a twenty-something "in-betweener"?

Being a twenty-something is such a strange time. It's a time of forced maturity, personal growth and development, and a desperate desire to smash down on the breaks on this increasingly speedy car. It's a time when we can see a next class of kids heading into life and having enough wisdom to help them along. It's a time when we are making some very real, very permanent decisions in our lives. But it's also a time of still having no clue who we are, what we want to be, or even how to cook viable three viable meals a day. I guess as the saying goes, "day to day nothing seems different, but when you look back everything has changed".

It's been awesome moving back in with my parents this summer for this exact reason. Living at home again let me embrace what I loved about home while remembering what I hated about it. Now I feel better about letting go and catapulting into my future. That's the best part about being an "in-betweener" twenty-something: you have every road stretched out before you and only yourself to count on. Your parents can be your emotional support, but they can only take you so far. You have to prove it to the world, all by yourself, that you are worthy and important. A partner is a great listening, but they can't make the world love you the way they do. Only you can make your dreams come true. Therefore, as a twenty-something "in-betweener" we don't have those support beams of parents or partners. We have to learn how to be our own support beams. Yes, it's hard standing out on the ledge all alone, and it makes even the best of us want to stay under the covers and fall back asleep, but we just can't do that. It's like ripping a Band-Aid off when you are a kid. Either way it's going to hurt, you can't keep it on for forever, and slow will only hurt worse, so rip it off fast, deal with the pain and enjoy the ride.

Tip of the day: If you are feeling alone as the only twenty-something "in-betweener" out there, you're not. There are thousands of us. So stick your nose out there: volunteer, attend a festival, join a bowling league, or attend a Bible study. We are all searching for one another to support, share advice, and laugh with. I double dog dare you to be the first to stick yourself out there and say, "hello". You never know what you may find..... or whom.. ;)

Don't forget: You're beautiful,

HayleyKaye :)