I know it feels like an eternity waiting to turn 21, but to be honest, once you turn 21, you sometimes wish you could go back to 20. Here is a list of reasons why you shouldn’t be jealous of older people.

#1: Graduation is Coming

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Keep in mind kiddies, as you get older, you may be getting closer to turning 21, but you are also one year closer to graduation.

You may tell yourself everyday how much you hate school and cannot wait for graduation, but let me give you one piece of advice: once you are out, all you want to do is go back.

Cherish the memories you have made and the ones to come by enjoying the fact that you aren’t 21, because once you’re legal, you’re also about to be booted out of school which means paying back loans, getting a job and NOT sleeping in everyday….and OH YEAH, people ACTUALLY work on Thursday’s AND Friday’s!

#2: Slowing Metabolism

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As you get older, your metabolism starts to slow down and you will notice a few things.

For one thing, you can no longer drink or eat the way you once did in college.

I know your cute little 18-year-old frame is easy to maintain for now, but be careful…one day you will wake up with stretch marks and a fat ass (Legally Blonde).

I’m not saying your body is going to change drastically, but be aware of the fact that just because you can eat and drink whatever you want now, it won’t last forever, so enjoy it while it lasts!

And if you think for a second it won’t happen to you, take it from the girl who used to eat double cheeseburgers after school a few times a week throughout her last years of high school…my brother and I would scour my car for change so we could go grab burgers after class.

It was awesome while it lasted, but needless to say, I haven’t had McDonald’s in a while.

Of course you can still stay fit, thin and healthy when you get older by exercising regularly and eating healthy, but keep in mind that you won’t be able to get away with the all-pizza/beer diet forever, especially without exercising on a regular basis!

#3: Paying Bills

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If you aren’t already paying bills, then you are in for a real treat upon graduation!

If you parents aren’t helping you out, get ready to start paying back your student loans, car insurance, cell phone bill, health insurance, etc.

If you aren’t living at home, time to get an apartment and start paying more bills! Electric, food, gas, television, telephone, internet…it just keeps going!

Enjoy your dorm or apartment now while it’s not on your dime….yet!

#4: Worrying About Your Health

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Have you ever seen your parents pour a bunch of vitamins, pills and minerals  into their hand and then swallow about 10 pills at once?

Yeah, that is about to be you in a few years.

Okay…not that bad, but still, once you get older, you have to start worrying more about your health and taking care of your body.

These days, both men and women are much more health conscious and being protecting their bodies from aging much earlier than previous generations.

You have to start going to the doctor more often, get blood work and tests done regularly, and lots of other gross stuff I’d rather not get into.

Appreciate the fact that you can still skip going to the doctor for an extended period of time with little to no worry about health risks/problems!

#5: Your Group of Friends Will Change

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Unfortunately, a lot of the people you are close to now (your roommates, people who live on your floor or near your apartment, people in your classes, etc), will most likely become a distant memory when you leave school.

You may think you will be best friends with the same group you met your freshman year, but the truth is, once you leave school, start a job, and move away, you lose touch with a lot of the people you were once close to.

Especially when you begin to establish your career (or head to graduate school) you tend to start gravitating toward people with similar jobs and goals…leaving your college pals in the past.

The good news is, you always take away at least ONE, sometimes a few close friends that you will remain chummy with after graduation and even years after that!

It gets harder to maintain old friendships as your life begins to change and grow, but if you put in the effort to talk and see each other once in a while, your college friendships have the potential to last a long time!

In conclusion, you shouldn’t be bummed about being under 21! There are plenty of reasons to be thankful for your youth so suck it up til your big birthday and enjoy it while it lasts, kiddo!