The Hardest Part About Growing Up. . . .

In some of my classes last week we were working on expressing opinions. Instead of talking about the usual topics: the environment, school uniforms, or technology, I tried to be a little creative and ask students about what their futures might be like. They were to tell me what they think the hardest part about being an adult will be. Some answers were pretty basic, some examples include paying the bills, having to make money, going to a job every day, and being responsible. Two students really impressed me with their answers.

Miss Hetrick: Maciej, what do you think will be the hardest thing about being an adult?
Maciej: Jail.
Miss Hetrick: Are you going to jail?
Maceij: Yes, probably.
Miss Hetrick: Why?
Maceij: I don't know, but it will happen.

The second student that really impressed me was speaking for a group of girls. Klaudia said, "Falling in love is the hardest thing about growing up. It will be such a distraction from our studies and will give us less time to be with our friends. Our heads will be in the clouds. And if we break up, it might take a long time to get over it. Love is very complicated."

When I thought about this question for myself, I came up with two responses. One is rather silly, but the other is quite serious. My first response is feeding myself. Staying on top of my grocery shopping and figuring out what to eat every day is difficult for me. I am struggling with finding recipes that I can try with ingredients that I actually can buy. I am surviving; I am just getting sick of the food that I know how to cook. My second response is figuring out where to live. This is not so much a problem for me in the immediate future, more so later in life, post-seminary. Our country is HUGE, and I don't know where I want to be. But coordinating a place where I will have a job and where boyfriend Nick (or whatever title he takes on the following years) seems to be a daunting task. I'm sure it will all fall into place in time, it just seems scary right now.

I also wanted to say here that I have officially figured out my plans for next year. I will start studying for my M.Div. at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia next fall. I am very excited to go there and to once again be the student.

Blessings,
Colleen