Are you/Were you afraid of growing up?

[RyanJD]

So today I was flipping through the channels on my TV and saw a young girl crying on Dr.Phil. I am not into talk shows but wanted to check it out. Well the show was about a young girl who basically had everything given to her on a plate growing up and now at 24 didn't want to grow up. She had not graduated high school, nor completed her GED. Well to sum it up; her last 4 years were not her best. However, I have to admit her family was pretty emotionally abusive to her from a young age by calling her fat. Maybe she didn't have the tools to grow up or whatever.

Well, it got me thinking. Over the last few months after reading an article in the NY times, this thought has been in and out of my head. So the article talks about Why are 20-somethings taking so long to grow up? One theory is known as “Emerging Adulthood,” which is a time between 18 and 30 that is used for identity exploration, instability, self-focus or feeling in-between.

I'm in my last teen years and I've always been afraid of growing up. I'll man up and admit it. I just have never been a big fan of change and take a while to get use to something new as well as people. Think I've been so afraid to move out of my comfort zone that I am pretty much content with staying where I am.

So my question here is... Have you been in the same boat or experienced something similar growing up or are currently experiencing the same emotions? Were you afraid or are afraid of growing up?

[Ozteck]

I come from 20 years in your future. It's so much better than whatever it is you're doing now, the agnst-ridden teen years give way to some pretty amazing adventures and people.

[Dark Side]

I dont want to grow up. Growing up takes a lot of money, money i dont have and dont have means of getting. Id much rather stay a high school student for the rest of my life, being painfully awkward isnt that bad!

[Baever]

I don't plan to grow up.

I'm not saying I won't take responsibility for the sake of my future (in fact, eventually I plan to take over the family business), but I'll aways be a splitting image of my seventeen year old self.

[ParadoxQ]

I don't have a problem with growing up, but I enjoy sitting back with some friends and playing nostalgic games and such ) I love the progression of life and how everything hangs together

[Alraml]

Only just entered the 20's but it doesn't seem that bad :P

I'll see how I feel when i'm 30 :O

[Faunwea]

People are complicated. I try not to judge. I used to have a friend who would look down on the girl your described. People are more than commands and they are more than logic. What has no affect on one person has devastating affects on another. In addition, I don't believe in the idea that if you provide someone with a comfortable life or throw money at them they are going to be happy and successful human beings.

Personally though, I feel the idea of "growing up" and our obsession with economic over excess is overrated. I feel there should be other ways to contribute to society and still be able to survive and live in comfort. Also, although my knowledge may be lacking, I feel that it has been much easier for our parents and their grandparents to "grow up". In many cases, you didn't require a college degree to make a decent living back then (particularly if you had connections). In addition, marrying in your early 20s nowadays just isn't practical and in some cases can be harming. More people are going to college early on to find a career so people wait longer to tye the know or to even have children (who wants to juggle a full time job, full time school, full time marriage, and the full time role of raising a child at 21?)

I wait for the day when humanity focuses more on love, kindness, responsibility and the ability to have a conscience when it comes to how they treat strangers and the people they know. Unfortunately, if that era ever comes, I'll be long dead by then.

Edit: As for the question, I am not so much afraid of growing up as I am of failing and not being able to provide for my parents and family. Even when I am "grown up" I'll still enjoy the same things I do now. Ill still indulge my "childish" imagination of fantasy places, creatures and ideals. Growing up doesn't mean you have to give all of that away. It just means you need to hold a job in order to survive and, at best, find a career that you may enjoy. At least, that is how I've always seen it. o_o; By the way, I am a 23 year old woman. *shrugs*

[Resentful]

Yep, and I wish I can be a kid again

[Rocketsurgeon]

I was never afraid of growing up. I have a hard time understanding that. Yeah, more responsibilities, but all the choices are mine and thus all the consequences I face. Thats awesome. I would never want to put my life back in the hands of a steward.

My idea of growing up looks pretty much like this, though:
http://xkcd.com/150/

[Protqt]

Going to uni this fall is really scary when I think about it. Going to the local college and all it'll feel like a whole new world moving away for 3 years.

So the answer is yes, I'm very afraid of groweing up yet I'm excited about it and can't wait for it

[Deleted]

Not scared of growing up, as I really don't plan to. I'm currently 21. My lifetime goals are completely ridiculous, and quite useless and I am working hard to achieve them. I am far from what I was when I was a teenager, although I have the same base goal: Be awesome. Currently I am studying to make PC games, which has been my goal since I was 11. My other goals include having 365 cashmere suits, all of them looking identical with the exception of a date embroidered on the inside were no one can see them. I also want to have one hand made barberknife for each week (Started this already by learning to use a barberknife) and own the worlds best whiskey collection, which is a goal I inherited from my dad as he collects whisky. Other goals include becoming the king of my own private island. I have plans to achieve each of this, and will not stop before they, and several others just as likely, are achieved.

I do believe I have grown up quite a bit just in the last 1-2 years tho. Maybe even just the last 6 months. Well I call it growing up, but basically I've just gotten vain. Used to not care, not trim my beard, grow my hair for a year at the time, and only wear black jeans with black shirts. Now I spend more money on clothes than my girlfriend, shave and trim every day, and get a (free) haircut once a month. I classify this as growing up, as I have realized that yes, it matters how you look. And I look good when I bother.

[Badpaladin]

Hah, I remember when summer, winter and spring breaks meant uninterrupted free time. Now it's work, work, school project. And hilariously, the free time I have now will seem like an eternity when I'm 30 and it's just work year 'round. So yeah, I'm not in a hurry to grow up.

[Goochy]

You should always listen to your parents when they say "trust me, you don't want to grow up so quick". I'm still young (21), but everything has changed so drastically within the last few years. I remember when I was younger and always saying how I wanted to be able to drive. Well, now that I can drive, it still feels like I'm not satisfied. I realize how awesome the younger years of life were. My case in particular, when I was younger the family would come over for our Christmas Eve party every year. Tons of people, from distant family, to friends, neighbors and close family. Now, were lucky to get the grandparents and like an uncle or two....I feels like I may have strayed off the main point of the topic with my rambling. So to answer the question, no I'm not afraid of growing up, but I hella miss the days when I had less to worry about.

[Kokolums]

There is nothing to be afraid of when it comes to growing up!

Maturity means you control your emotions. Immaturity means your emotions control you.

Who really wants their emotions to control them?

---------- Post added 2011-03-26 at 08:02 PM ----------

Missing the days when you had less responsibility does not mean you want to not grow up. You are simply expressing the fact that you have too much on your plate ATM. That's perfectly normal. Maybe think about cutting back on your responsibilities if that is so. Everyone goes through the process of determining how much responsibility they can handle.