Life Is What Happens To You While You're Busy Making Other Plans

Again, I'm going to take this opportunity and digress from my typical Australian blog to write something completely off topic.

Tomorrow is my birthday.

And ever since I turned 19, I wanted to put off 20 as much as possible. I loved the "discovery" that comes with being a teenager. I loved learning how to interact with people, how to build friendships and relationships. It is weird to me that the friends I made as a teenager may very well be in my wedding party, the godparents of my children, and the people I would want around when I die. I would do anything for the people I met as a teenager, and that seems like something a teenager doesn't even contemplate. When I met my friends, I had no idea how much they would end up meaning to me. My friends are my life and my family. My biggest fear in life is losing my friends and being alone.

Every other picture was way too serious

Part of me thinks that turning 20 will bring a loss of spontaneity, because I don't know how I can top all that I did as a teenager.

In my last year as a teenager, I picked up my violin and returned to the stage to perform in "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." I forgot how much I loved the theatre and my instrument, and it was through a spontaneous, "Yeah, I still know how to play," that led me to do it.

We got pretty good at yelling

I went to Chicago with my dad on a fairly spontaneous trip. Originally, my best friend and I were going to make the journey up for Lollapalooza, and while we were planning, my dad sent a text saying, "HEY Son, I'm not trying to crash your trip, but SOME of those BANDS fit my STYLE!? Think I can COME ALONG?" (My father has some of the more hysterical texts to read) When Ken couldn't make it, it was just my dad and I catching the flights up to Chicago, manoeuvring our way around the huge city to find where we were staying and the park where the concert was, and that weekend was a weekend I wouldn't trade for the world.

Just preparing for Eminem, no big deal 

I discovered fraternity and sorority life as a teenager. Though not pledging to any fraternity, I had the opportunity to work with a number of them to finally crown the 2011 Homecoming King and Queen.

You know, hanging on the sideline with the King and Queen

I moved out of the country as a teenager. As you know, if you've read any of this blog, I'm in Australia, studying abroad in Gold Coast. I left not knowing a soul, and, a month later, I feel like I've known these other students for years. I realise that the point of studying abroad is to meet the local people and understand their culture and whatnot, but I think that is only half of it. The other half is befriending those who are in the same boat as you. 70 strangers across the Pacific together, and when we return, 70 friends will take root in their own state.

We are the 10 best friends that anybody could have!

The last monumental thing I did as a teenager was learned how to surf, and I'm ok with that. I'm glad that it was that and not something stupid. I'm glad that all the work I did as a teenager led to me learning a new skill in a new country with new people.

20 will be something new. And I've come to like something new. Something new took me to Chicago and Australia, something new taught me how to surf and allowed me to hold a koala, and something new will send me somewhere else to do something else. Come good or bad, it'll be here in about 8 hours.

But, as the Australians say…

"No Worries"