J.

Sometimes I'm definitely too mature for my age. And right now is definitely one of the sometimes. Though I'm 19, I'll think like a 29 every now and then and it scares me sometimes. This is all due to upbringing. My Asian parents think like a Westerner. In my family, once you graduate from secondary school, you're on your own. Who's going pay for your phone bills? You. Who's going give you allowance? You. Who's going pay your fees? Still you. My parents cut us off financially and threw us out to deal with the real world ourselves. You earn your own money and spend your own money. I'm not even kidding. That's how my family rolls.

When I say grow up, I mean grow up mentally. Grow mature. Mature is good, mature is nice and at the same time, it's stressful and scary. A 100% mature person is usually a boring person. Thankfully, I'm only a 40%, only when needed. Yes, I'm a very practical person. I don't spend time being a stupid kid that uses "YOLO" as an excuse for everything. I spend time taking risk and living my life to the fullest because I know once I hit 30, there will be a lot of things I can no longer do. And this is where the future scares me and it will scare you as well.

Problems you deal with when you grow up:

#1 BIRTHDAYS

When you start to think birthdays are just another day, you've most probably grown up. Yes it is just another day. You still have a routine to go about. Study, work, eat, pay bills and shit. Unless you're Queen Elizabeth, your birthday is not a public holiday. Birthday marks the day you're born, marks the day you're a year older and a year closer to your deathbed. You don't want big celebrations or making a big fuss out of it. All you want is a simple cake, close friends and relatives, small party and some peace.

#2 BILLS/TAXES

When you're young, your parents bring home the bread and butter, do everything for you, fix/settle everything and never fail to make things right for you. I'm sorry to say your parents will not walk with you till you cease. You have to stand on your own someday and start taking care instead of being taken care. Able to pay the bills/taxes is one of the biggest accomplishments in life. Nobody cares you hold a PhD if you can't even keep a job and pay your bills/taxes. Utility bills, phone bills, road taxes, etc. They are all essentials for humans living in the 21st century. You need to keep the water running and electricity flowing to live. THEY WILL CUT OFF YOUR SUPPLIES IF YOU DO NOT PAY YOUR BILLS. THEY WILL. Most people start to stress over bills when they are finally living on their own.

#3 MONEY/ASSETS

This is biggest part of our life. This is also one of the biggest causes of break ups. The world revolves around money. With money, you may not be everything but without money, you're as good as nothing. You need money to put food into your mouth and keep the shelter over your head. And no, the money will no longer come as easy as asking from your parents. Earn it!

#4 PRACTICALITY

There is a difference between a need and a want. We all buy things on impulse every now and then. I still do, sometimes. Being able to differentiate a "want" from a "need" helps a lot in saving. And savings will help you deal with problem #3 better. When it comes to clothes, I seldom buy anything above $20 unless needed. When you get older, your clothes have to grow in trend with you. Buy something you know it'll last for a long time, something you can still rock in it 5 years later. Think about usability.

#5 FUTURE

What am I going do after I'm done studying? What if I can't get a decent paying job? What's my next step? Does the future scare you? It scares me. You get to retake your failed modules in school but you won't get to redo your failed projects at work. What if I screw up at work? I have friends doing nothing after diploma/degree and it scares me. What if I become one of them, what do I do? Do part time for the rest of my life? After work, then what? Marriage, house chores, kids, grandchildren, everything, everything scares me. Growing old scares me the most because I fear I become a burden to everyone around me.

#6 FESTIVALS/EVENTS

Festivals lost their spirits and they become nothing to you. We all can relate to it. Instead of receiving money and gifts, you become the one giving on New Years and Christmas.

#7 HEATH AND FITNESS

As your body ages, it becomes weaker. Your digestive system starts to slow, all your mechanisms start to wear and all the illnesses will kick in. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, cancers etc. You think you're still young, it's okay to eat whatever you want and drink whatever you want but the toxin will be accumulated in your body and the signs will show once it has reached it's limit. Watch what you put into your mouth.

#8 THINK LESS WITH HEART AND MORE WITH HEAD

Evidence of you are a grown up. You think more logically instead of emotionally. You will no longer keep someone you love but is no good for you. You know that love will only bring more pain than joy into your life. You know when to move on and never look back. You will start to wonder who are really your friends. Your heart will start to lose its authority and your brain will take charge. That's when my dear, you have fully grown up.

Don't we all wish life came with a guidebook or instructions or helpline? I will keep the helpline on speed dial.

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