Maturation

Earlier this week an interesting conversation arised in my textile design class. One of my friends was ranting about how this older student (25 ish in her other design class), during a critqiue that, there wasn't much good stuff to say about her design, basically she was indirectly telling her design sucked. So we just started talking about how some students who take a break from school and come back when they're older, often think they are more knowledgable or 'better' than students going into University straight from highschool.

As we were talking about this, this student at another table was overhearing our conversation and she spoke up. FYI, she was in one of my group projects during the winter term so I guess we were not technically friends, more like well known acquaintances/classmates sort of thing. Oh yea, she does look older so my friends and I always assumed her of being older even though she is in our year.

Her: "Wait, you can't mean you guys all came to uni straight from highschool right...?"

My friend: "Yea, we did"

Her: "Even you Sarah?"

Me: "Yea, I did come to uni straight from highschool"

Her: "So, your twenty-one? (she sounded confident that I was)"

My friend: "No... she's not even twenty"

Her: "Really? (in disbelief), I thought you were at least a few years older than that, wow"

The convo ceased after she gave us a brief journey of her on and off plans after highschool, making my friends and I correct in our assumption that she is at least 25 or older.

I was pretty curious in why she thought I be older age wise, I mean every time I did talked to her, it be based on school-related topics or our group project so I never really opened up about my personal life to her. I kept pondering and wondering so I thought, why not just ask her?, no harm in that. The next day I was in class early and she was too so I decided to ask.

Me: "Hey, I'm just wondering why you thought I was older yesterday, just out of curiosity"

Her: (probably thought I was offended) "Well, you don't look old or anything, but just the way you talk and everything made me justify that you were at least a few years older than you are"

Me: "Oh, really, I don't usually get that, I usually get younger if people see me and my brothers since my brothers are taller and look more older haha"

Her: "Well it's because sometimes when I talk to students coming straight from highschool they sound immature, not knowing what they are doing or else they are wasting time and money and you really sense it by just talking to them"

Me: "Oh yea, I know what you mean, sometimes people just jump into the university pool due to parental or peer pressure"

Her: "And when I talk to you, you don't sound like your shelter from a lot of things like those other students," going on to say how I present myself as mature and am independent etc...

So? I don't know, I just felt flattered afterwards. I feel like there's many sides to myself. Sometimes I can get wacky and laughy daffy, but hearing this from her made me feel assured of something, perhaps where I'm heading in my post secondary route or even my direction in life. I'm glad I can have this side to me that I never really acknowledged. I always knew I'm a pretty independent and DIY kind of person but having someone share that with me was pretty sweet.

Guess I'll just have to enjoy these last few months of being a mature 'teen'

Miss Independent