The Day I Turned 18 (Turning Point) | Teen Ink

The Day I Turned 18 (Turning Point)

April 17, 2023
By Anonymous

I feel like I’ve spent my whole life

Waiting


Waiting for keys and new neighbors

For full-time student

Or full time (wait and see)

Waiting for new numbers

And “hey it’s been a while…”s


Waiting for the good things

But waiting for bad things too


Waiting for the water bills

For the student loans

Waiting for gas and rent

Prices climbing to unreachable heights

But my anxiety is overwhelmed

With a feeling of change

A feeling of growing up


And you may think it's naive 

But I’ve been waiting my whole life to grow up

And now I’m at a turning point


I'm sure I'll miss the barbie dolls

I'll miss the crayons and playdates

the dinner-is-what-mom-makes

and the "I'll never ask for anything again!!!!"s

I'll miss the part-time for pocket-cash

I'll miss the streets I know


But I'm waiting for the unfamiliar

Waiting to make it my own


And I'll miss how it used to be, I'm sure

And curse myself for staring ahead so far 

I missed what was in front of me

But I've spent so long waiting

for now

for a turning point.


The author's comments:

This poem is about growing up and feeling like everything is changing, and finding happiness in that despite fear.


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