Ever sit back and think about where you were 10 years ago? It's interesting to think that most of us have come to the point where we can actually remember and reflect on how much has actually changed about us since then. In a few months, I'll be celebrating my 28th birthday. This news was much to a colleague's surprise yesterday which made me chuckle then reflect...overthink...whatever it's called these days.
The striking conversation...
The biology professor I work with to advise pre-health students was joking around yesterday saying that sometimes he has to remind himself that I'm not a student while I sit at the computer after our orientation session wrapped up. I laughed and told him that those days are long gone which he responded with the typical oh please arm waving motion. So I laughed and said "Truth is, it's about 10 years behind me. Crazy I know!" His jaw dropped and his eyebrows crinkled as he displayed a face of utter confusion. "Excuse me? You're kidding me."
And there it was... as many of us interact with various colleagues in higher ed, most of us are kindly reminded about young we look which must imply how much experience we probably lack in working in this field and let's be honest... life. They would never imagine how much we have really accomplished by looking at us. Naturally, I started to wonder about what makes 28 so much different than 18. The answer is... so much!
Since I was 18...I have had a residence in 3 different states. I've taken a two trips out of the country - one of which I was by myself. I have earned 2 degrees. I will be known to 28 little someone's as their 1st grade teacher. I've tried something new for every birthday. I've had 2 full-time jobs. I've run a 1/2 marathon and gone between +/- 20 lbs. I've gone a little under a dozen weddings for friends. I've been a girlfriend, fiance and you know... The list goes on as I'm sure yours does as well.
Thinking about this makes me realize how blessed and lucky I have been to have had these experiences but it also reminds me a lot about the turning point between 18 and 28 which many of us call the quarter-life crisis. What a moment. For me, it was the turning point of so many things... the development of self-confidence, exploration of personal identity, basically the formation of who I am today. I've talked to a few of you recently about how something just happens when a woman turns 25. All of a sudden, you start to find out about all these health issues and you begin to relearn your body in the way that your parents had learn YOU when you were born.
For example, around 25 I realized that if I was going to be a mom one day I was going to have to make sure I take care of this vessel aka my body. I also started gaining weight that I couldn't lose. My nails were breaking. My hair was shedding. Not to mention, I was making some real big girl decisions about jobs, life insurance, savings, what to wear to go downtown... haha ok not so big girl decision. Either way, I started observing how after a typical day at work I'd be so drained. Naps were a necessity and I had no idea why. I'd get tired to no return by 5 be out of it if I pushed until 8pm. I started investigating a little and found out that 25 was around the time my mom found out about her thyroid which I then began to ask my doctor more questions about. What felt like decades later... I was able to discover that I have hypothyroidism. Something like my thyroid doesn't make enough thyroxin to make my body function so it drains my energy because it's working so hard to make my body work. In the end, I know I take a pill and it makes me feel like I can run a marathon everyday. Ok not a marathon but it makes me feel like what everyone else felt like during the day. That was one out of the many things I learned about myself and little did I know... there was more to come.
What can I say? 10 years ago I wouldn't have thought that so much would happen 10 years later. It's interesting to have a flashback. I encourage you to do the same. :)
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