InDepth Editor Rebecca Biundo addresses the difficulties associated with growing up.
By: Rebecca Biundo
InDepth Editor
Growing up: just the thoughts of moving away, landing a real job and even growing old are terrifying. It is overwhelming to think about what the future will be like when situations are different from right now. Yet, growing up is inevitable and the process of it all is just as fascinating.
Take a child for example. He will line up against a wall and his parents will mark his height every month with a Sharpie. Not long after, the parents will ask how he got so big and where had the time gone.
Growing college students are not that different. Yeah sure, humans stop physically growing around 18, but maturity can take a lot longer, mentally or emotionally.
Millennials tend to get stuck in a phenomenon known as the “Peter Pan Syndrome.” Dan Kiley, psychologist and author of “The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up,” young adults can have a hard time accepting maturity and over time responsibility. Eventually, young adults begin to take on responsibilities and move on with their lives. Whether it is a “grown-up” job or a diploma, 20-somethings are forced to face adult realities beyond college.
Not everyone gets sucked into the Peter Pan Syndrome but while being a college student, it is hard not too. Netflix, pizza binges and naps may take precedent over work now, but ultimately bills and families will take priorities.
There is a lot waiting outside Meramec: 4-year schools, great jobs, different cities and different experiences. There is no denying that the future and having a desirable job is exciting and new. But with newness, comes the fear of the unknown. Not knowing what is going to happen in a new situation is crazy scary.
Many students have become accustomed to Meramec’s campus, policies, professors and just about every aspect of the school. The thought of learning the ins and outs of a whole new school (or place) is overwhelming.
Will the adjustment be easy? Will the people be nice? Will it be easy to get a job? These are just a few questions students ask themselves when graduating or transferring. But moving on and growing up is just something everyone pushes through and does. And while there is a lot that is unknown about the future, no one will know if they do not try to find out.
Transitions suck. Goodbyes suck. There is no need to sugarcoat it. The undeniable fear of change sets in. The thought of meeting a whole new group of people, whether it is at school or in the workplace is scary. But it is all a part of growing up. Growing up is handling change in different way one would when they were young.
While friends may come and go and situations may change, there are experiences from Meramec that can be taken with students into the next chapter of their lives. Growing up should be inspiring not intimidating; it is rest of our lives. It’s been real, Meramec.
