Once again, the prospective students have arrived. In droves they came, map-backed folders and enthusiasm in tow, here for one last shot at choosing their college. (After all, it’s almost May 1, the deadline! I don’t blame them.) Whereas last time I saw a cavalcade of prospective students, I was munching away on a lunch and musing on how I’d changed for the better, this time, things were different.
Not bad, but different. You see, I felt old.
Now, granted, in the scheme of things, I’m pretty young. I’m a sophomore in college. The world is apparently my oyster — even if sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. But considering my brief stint on Earth has only been for the past 20 years, I’ll admit, I’m a bit biased with my youth. It’s just that among many things, I’m not the only one turning 20 this year. Pokémon is turning 20. The Nintendo 64 is turning 20. Heck, Scream, the horror classic, is as old as I am too! I remember those from when I was four! Pokémon was my life when I was four! That, and Cardcaptors—which is also turning 20! (At least, the original manga is.) Goodness, I feel ancient! Even though I’m definitely not.
Most prospective students, especially the ones I bumped into, are young in comparison. Fifteen, 16, 17 with a select few 18-year-olds. Those few years make a lot of difference in terms of maturity — now, instead of going, “Oh, look, new classmates!” I think, “Aww, those cute lil’ whippersnappers. I hope those young’uns enjoy college!”
Joking aside, it’s the difference a year makes. I feel mature now. I feel like an adult — even if I still watch anime and play video games, like I did when I was young. I gladly do chores; relish them, even. (Don’t tell my family, though!) Emails to businesses and professors are no longer daunting.
As the lead vendor contact for Woo-Con, I helped lead a meeting recently to gather the vendors for the upcoming Woo-Con, right after a meeting with a professor for my campus job and a job interview, all with nary a break. I enjoyed every single second of it all — it was exhausting, but rewarding. Like college should be, after a long day’s work. Considering the fact that meetings, working a job, and interviews used to make me gain a cold sweat at the mere thought of them, it’s progress. I’ll take it as a victory.
The young students-to-be also have many victories before them, in the form of acceptances and epiphanies. The world is theirs to have, too. Of course, unlike them, when I say, “Honestly, I’m not sure what I’m going to do with my life,” I say it with fear. Dread. Worry. Panic. Most of my older classmates do, too. Adulthood is hitting us full-force.
Still, I shouldn’t worry. After all, I’m only 20 years old. I’ve got my whole life ahead of me, and so do those future Wooster students sipping out of their Admissions-provided water cartons. (I’ll admit, I miss drinking those. They were one of my favorite parts of tours here.) It’s just a matter of remembering that. Still, even then, at the moment, as I see the promotional material for Pokémon’s 20th anniversary and watch the prospies march around campus, I — like so many other students here — can’t help but feel old.
I guess that this is what it means to grow up.
Katherine Randazzo, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment at KRandazzo18@wooster.edu.