Why have I just turned 20, yet feel like I’ve turned 50?

When we were 14, all we wanted was to be 16. When we were 16, all we wanted was to be 18. Then we turn 18, and partaaay. We can drink, smoke, get a tattoo, (legally). We're off to uni and meet new people, get into the most unimaginable situations and paint the town red. Being young is amazing!

Then we turn 19, and then, 20. Oh dear. The teen years are over. And is it just me, or does everyone age from 19 to 50 as well? It seems as though the expectations of being an adult were false, and entering your 20s is actually kinda draining.

Priorities

Ah, the priorities of a teenager. Making sure you get over 20 instagram likes in the first hour. Making it to the club before they bump the entry price up. Getting the perfect outfit to make sure you outdo Jessica at that house party this weekend. Now, I find myself flicking through the weekly newspaper, reading about politics and that, what have I become? It says a lot when my mates and I can have in-depth conversations about the state of the country and not get bored.

Because we should all be informed about Brexit

Slowly evolving into your Mum

When we were teenagers, Mums could sometimes be the worst enemy. But, I don't even hate to admit it, I am now my Mum. Instead of going against everything Mum would say, I now think, what would Mum do? As a newly evolved mother-figure, I now wake up, flick the news on and begin cleaning, washing and ironing. I'm even feeling guilty for having a ten minute sit down, because there is absolutely no time in this day for rest. After this, I pour a well-earned glass of wine, or four.

Going out

Going out? Like out, out? Like clubbing out? These are the questions we ask when someone suggests such a wild thing. Going out is way too much of a hassle now. I don't want to be crushed in a hot, sweaty room with a load of (I can finally say it now) teenagers. I literally know none of the current music and worst of all, I couldn't care less about it. The only place I want to be is home, with my pyjamas on, with a brew, watching Downton Abbey. If we are going out, it's til 1am, 1:30am max.

I don't want to be here

Comfort over style

I can proudly say that I own one pair of heels that I have worn once, for about 20 minutes. Gone are the days where coats and bags were a burden. I live for my parka. My bag now contains extra content such as tissues, paracetamol, hand sanitiser, pens and bottled water because you just do not know who is going to need the assistant of a responsible adult. Once of a day, I would've been certain to make sure I didn't wear the same outfit twice in one week. Now I can say, that I have not worn another pair of shoes since buying my Timberlands in September 2017 and I am ecstatic about getting my moneys worth out of them.

Cooler (and warmer) than you

So yeah, if you're feeling older than you are. Don't worry, you're not boring. I suppose we are just practical thinkers. Yeah we aren't as excitable as we were two years ago. But we still know how to have fun, right? It's not like it's been washed out of us.

Oh I've just remembered, I need to put the washing on.