Sweet 16

So for The Daily Post’s post-a-day, they asked us about the person we were when we were 16. 16 wasn’t that long for me actually; only 2 – almost 3 – years ago, but I’ve changed drastically in those 2 years.

When I was 16, as much as I liked to deny it at the time, I was still a kid. I was a kid getting her license for the first time. I didn’t even have a part-time job yet at that time because I was too busy enjoying life, playing video games, going on vacation; I was sheltered growing up, and I was living off of my parents’ money. Why did I need a job, I wondered.

What I didn’t know at the time, was that getting a part-time job was not just for the money; it was for the much-needed life experience that came with it. With my first part-time job working at a restaurant at the age of 17, I learned just how hard people worked to earn money. For some people I worked with, it was for their living. I learned how to be independent, to communicate, and even gained some confidence from working my part-time job. Not to mention I no longer had to ask my parents for money whenever I wanted to buy something. I had my own source of income. For the very first time, I could buy my mom a birthday present with my own money.

The only question I ask now is: why didn’t I get a part-time job sooner?

So at 16, I guess you could say I was a naive, dependent, spoiled kid with big dreams about travelling the world, but I must say, those were one of the happiest days of my life. Relaxing at home with hardly any schoolwork, playing online video games, going to the park, getting 9 hours of sleep everyday… I had all the free time in the world. You never really realize how much you miss being a kid until you start moving towards the real world.

So now, I ask you this question: who were you at the age of 16?

Still a kid at heart,
Emily