“How old are you?”

Simple question, right?

It’s just a number, right?

I wish that was my mindset. I wish I didn’t get a rush of anxiety every time someone asked me that question. It’s not easy to answer. It’s not simple to say, “Oh, I’m 24, and I don’t have much to show for it.”

I used to think so highly of people my age when I was younger. I always assumed that 24-year-olds had it all together and lived fabulous lives. There was such a rush for me to get there. I thought

I’d be finishing up a nursing program, house shopping, maybe even married with children. Now I’m here, still trying to figure things out.

“How old are you” always leads to other questions.

What are you doing with your life?

You’re still in school?

What’s your major?

What are your plans after school?

How do you plan on supporting yourself?

Do you want to get married?

Are you planning on having children?

How am I supposed to know all of that? That’s my question. When do I start figuring out my life? If it was by society’s unrealistic standards, I’d be a college graduate right now. Probably married too. Maybe even have a baby. That just wasn’t my path. Now I deal with the stigma all the time because I’m 24, but not where I’m expected to be. It’s almost unbearable.

Things were easier when I was 19, and making mistakes that no one was worried about because my age made it understandable. I didn’t have direction, I didn’t know how quickly 19 turned into mid-twenties. Now I’m a communications major at a city college holding a part-time job, and I’m filled with shame because that’s how I’ve been conditioned to feel.

When I tell someone about my position in life and what my age is,they can’t help but let the expression of dissatisfaction surface on their faces. It kills me every time. I mean, I’m only 24! I still have time, right? I’ve experienced so much. I’ve been lucky enough to live so much life. Yet because I haven’t graduated college or anything of that nature, that automatically equals I’ve done nothing of substance? Wrong.

I’ve met incredible people. I’ve loved, and I’ve lost. I’ve been to beautiful cities. I’ve drunk too much; I’ve eaten too much; I’ve laughed too much. I was able to fully experience college through my friends who attended a UC. I broke a few laws, and I made memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

I have had an unbelievable amount of fun and experienced different lives in one lifetime. I have done so much. I don’t feel unaccomplished; I only feel challenged. I only feel like graduating college and getting married and meeting society’s standards tied to my age will be another part of my life when I’m ready for it.

There’s no reason to be ashamed of who you are or anything you have or haven’t done at any age. There’s no age requirement for how to live life. Everything you want to do and how you want to do it is just fine. You can be a happy 21-year-old housewife, or you can be a happy 32-year-old single wanderlust and both of those are just fine.

As far as I go, I’m going to stop saying I’m too old for things. The world is my oyster and I’m going to eat it up.