Growing up in the early 2000s is far different than growing up in the early ’90s.
I was only three years old in 2000, which was still in my baby stages. I did not have as much time with Barbies as a normal little girl would.
Many things developed in the 21st century, such as technology. I was only 10 years old when I received my first phone.
The Firefly was not necessarily a phone that we see 10 year olds with today. The Firefly had two buttons on it: one that said Mom and another that said Dad.
The only reason I wanted a phone was because of the characters in the Disney Channel movies and shows had phones.
As a kid, I was so inspired by these shows, such as “That’s So Raven” and “High School Musical.”
As a young girl, I wanted to be just like these 16 year-old actresses, not acknowledging that I was only 10.
Later, at the age 11, I thought I was old enough to wear make-up. One day, at a family event, I was bold enough to wear eyeliner and mascara. Let’s just say my grandmother smacked it off of my face by the end of the night.
As technology kept evolving, MySpace was introduced in 2003. It was a website where you could decorate your page, instant message your friends, post photos of yourself and have the public comment on them. This website was made for young adults.
Myspace was in the spotlight in 2010. It was the new sensation in the 21st century. My friends and I decided to create accounts behind our parents’ backs and just mess with the website.
Next thing you knew, we had over 500 friends and so many comments underneath our pictures. Some people we had as friends we did not know.
When I entered my teen years, I thought I knew what life was all about. In middle school, my friends were able to go out to the movies alone without any adult supervision. Coming from a Hispanic household, my mother did not agree to that.
As a common teenager, I had my hissy-fits as she would say, “No, you are not going. You are only 13 years-old.”
I thought I was old enough to do things on my own. I was the type of young teen who thought I knew it all, even though I did not.
I grew up with two older cousins who were about 16 when I was 13. I looked up to them so much that I wanted to do all the things they did. I wanted to hang out with friends, go to these crazy parties and even have a boyfriend. I was so young with these outrageous thoughts.
As I entered high school, I looked forward to graduation day and college. I could not wait to move out of my parents’ house, get a job and live on my own.
As I reflect on my childhood now, as a sophomore in college, I would go back and do so many things differently.
All of those years that I spent in my childhood wishing to be an adult took so much more away from my fun years than I had thought.
Now I sit here, as a stressed-out college student, and I was wish I was those ages again. I did not have to worry about a thing except school. My life was way easier at the age of 10 than now. Through what I faced, I learned so much.
As a young adult, I have a broader, wiser mindset. Although I still have plenty to learn, I have learned to not grow up too fast.
I used to wish to become an adult; now I wish to become a child again.
