"Nobody likes you when you're 23"

My birthday is in about 40 minutes. By the time this is posted, I will be 23 years old. Even though I'm only turning 23, for some reason that makes me feel really old. I guess it only goes downhill from there?

The thing about your 23rd birthday, for most of us post-grads, it might come as a radical shock. Everything is different now. For one, most of your friends would still be up late enough to wish you a happy birthday as soon as the clock struck 12. Your phone would start buzzing with texts to start off your special day. That was one of my favorite parts. It was always a mini-competition to me, to see which of my friends texted me first. But now, I'm not expecting that… at all. The majority of my friends are probably in bed by now, fast asleep. I really should be as well, because not only am I exhausted from today's longer work day but I'm also smack in the middle of catching a cold so I feel extra worn down. And yet, I must stay awake until midnight. It is tradition, and I plan to keep it a tradition for as long as I possibly can.

The other thing about turning 23 and not being in college anymore: what the hell do you do to celebrate your birthday? Normally you'd have a birthday weekend that involved lots of pre-gaming and bar hopping and over-all shenanigans. Now what? Everyone is scattered across the state, or country, or globe. Half your friends can't make it even if you do try to plan a fun party. People start getting busy, there's less time to dedicate. And while it's completely understandable, it's also a little bit sad. You start to realize that this is it; we have entered "the real world" and things will continue to change.

Turning 23, at least for me, is a milestone that is truly making me realize that I'm growing up. And that's a little bit scary. It's exciting, sure, but there's also a lot of uncertainty. Although there's a tiny bit of melancholy surrounding this year's birthday, there's also so much to look forward to. And for that, I am grateful.

For once, I'm actually starting to feel my true age. I have witnessed myself mature tremendously these past six months and I feel like a stronger and more ambitious individual every day. I also feel more confident in my abilities, and more certain of what it is that I want to do with my life. I think 23 is going to be a life-changing year.

The one piece of advice I can give to you twenty-somethings tonight is that, no matter how much you "grow up," don't let go of your inner child. Life is too short to be so serious and so "mature." We might be getting older, but that doesn't mean we have to shrivel up like an old prune and have no fun. You have to laugh. Every day. You have to do exciting things. You have to act like a child every once in awhile. It will keep you young, it will help keep you sane, and it will help you hold on to your happiness.