When did you grow up?

[musey]

I'm talking era here. The '80s, The Post-WWII Age, The Peace & Love 60s-70s, etc.

It can be subjective (when you changed into the person you are) or literal (the span of years between high school and adulthood) or anything you want, really. Maybe you've grown up more than once, and different time periods draw different memories for you in that regard.

I'm just curious what different PSers consider to be their 'coming of age' eras.

 

[musey]

I'll start

I consider myself to have grown up between 2004-2007 or thereabouts. My biggest years of change were 2004, after which I felt like an adult, and 2007, after which I felt like a "grown up" (the two were different for me!).

I'm sure that will change throughout my life, as I'm only in my mid-twenties (and that last year-of-change was only a year or so ago). But for now, I think of that as being my 'era', though it's strange to call it so because it just happened (and era-wise, we're still in it!).

 

[777_LDY]

I think I grew up in 1997 when I became pregnant with my first child. The world was no longer only about me, not that I ever really thought that is was anyway, but you know what I mean. I just wanted to be the best parent I could be for my son and make a happy home.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

2 summers after high school.........nothing that provoked it, just got over the high school stuff...that was the late 90''s and early 00''s...

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 1/7/2009 9:16:22 PM
Author:musey
I''m talking era here. The ''80s, The Post-WWII Age, The Peace & Love 60s-70s, etc.

It can be subjective (when you changed into the person you are) or literal (the span of years between high school and adulthood) or anything you want, really. Maybe you''ve grown up more than once, and different time periods draw different memories for you in that regard.

I''m just curious what different PSers consider to be their ''coming of age'' eras.

when i joined PS.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Date: 1/7/2009 9:38:08 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 1/7/2009 9:16:22 PM

Author:musey

I''m talking era here. The ''80s, The Post-WWII Age, The Peace & Love 60s-70s, etc.


It can be subjective (when you changed into the person you are) or literal (the span of years between high school and adulthood) or anything you want, really. Maybe you''ve grown up more than once, and different time periods draw different memories for you in that regard.


I''m just curious what different PSers consider to be their ''coming of age'' eras.

when i joined PS.

Awww....DF we love you too!!!

 

[musey]

Date: 1/7/2009 9:21:17 PM
Author: 777_LDY
I think I grew up in 1997 when I became pregnant with my first child. The world was no longer only about me, not that I ever really thought that is was anyway, but you know what I mean. I just wanted to be the best parent I could be for my son and make a happy home.

Yeah, I can imagine that''s a biggest life changing experience for most parents. It''s hard to imagine there being a more major wake-up-call as far as ''growing up!''

 

[geckodani]

1995, when my father passed away, is when I think life hit me in the face and I grew up in one respect (I was 12).

I came into my own and figured out who I truly was personality wise in college, so 2000-2005.

I think I''m still growing up, and as life throws things my way, I''ll change again.

 

[Rhea]

Around 2007-2008. I finally settled into where I wanted to be and got more comfortable with where I was in my relationship and new home. I think of my growing up a lot in terms of how well I''m adapting to my current situation.

 

[AmberGretchen]

I think I''ve grown up the most while I''ve been in grad school, from 2004-the present, although I''m sure I still have a lot of growing up to do

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/7/2009 9:16:22 PM
Author:musey
I''m talking era here. The ''80s, The Post-WWII Age, The Peace & Love 60s-70s, etc.

It can be subjective (when you changed into the person you are) or literal (the span of years between high school and adulthood) or anything you want, really. Maybe you''ve grown up more than once, and different time periods draw different memories for you in that regard.

I''m just curious what different PSers consider to be their ''coming of age'' eras.

Right now for me. I have grown a lot in the past 3 or 4 years for various reasons.

 

[tlh]

Uh... I am still a big baby!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I grew-grew up from about 2002-2006, I learned a lot about myself during those years...more than any other time in life.

It was during that time that my first engagement ended, and from that point on I learned some real life lessons about the cruelity of people you thought you could trust and the things they will do simply to get ahead at your expense. Those were the years where I learned to be independent, and stand on my own two feet, I had a lot of growing pains during that time. Good or bad, those years meant a lot in terms of who I am now. I don't know if that could be considered an era, but when I think back on my life, as whole, those years were stand out for sure.

 

[April20]

I would say in 2000, when I moved from the east coast to the west coast where I knew no one and had no family. I had already been on my own for a couple years, but moving 3000 miles away from any and all safety nets was sink or swim. It was a great experience for sure and I never regretted that big a change for an instant.

 

[Elmorton]

Can I pick two? I think the point when I first felt a sense of self and identity was probably 1996-99 - around junior high when I started to make close friends and notice the world around me. Then during my years in college, about 2002-2005 was when I realized who I wanted to become.

 

[gemgirl]

Definitely between 1979 and 1982 when my first husband left me twice and my Father passed away. Those few years and a few years that followed were well, there really are no words.

 

[WishfulThinking]

I am a ''90s kid chronologically speaking, but I think most of my formative years were spent in what I like to call the Bush Era. 2000-2008 brings me from high school through almost my entire senior year in college. I developed my first real friendships, almost all of my intellectual skills, my main interests, and met my DW during these years, and having existed during this time has had a HUGE effect on who I am as a person, and what I believe in, especially.

 

[Efe]

Age 11 when my sister was killed in a motorcycle accident.

 

[Haven]

I woke up one Monday morning just a few months ago, sat up in bed, and thought "Oh my G-d. I live in a home in the suburbs with my husband and our pets. I have a husband! I have a career. I have a stack of books on my nightstand. I have a nightstand. And seasonal decorations for the foyer. I use words like foyer? Oh, sh*t. It''s all over."

So, some morning in November 2008 was when I *realized* that I had grown up.

I''d say it all started on May 12, 2002 when they forced me to graduate from college. What a bitter pill that was. (And yes, I remember the exact date because I mourn it each year.)

 

[Elmorton]

Haven, a big belly laugh to everything you said. I have FB flair that says "When did we become adults? and how can I make that stop?" - I think you need to find one of those for your button collection.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Buying my first house on my 26th birthday, by myself. I think that was 2001?

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 1/26/2009 5:19:30 PM
Author: Haven
I woke up one Monday morning just a few months ago, sat up in bed, and thought ''Oh my G-d. I live in a home in the suburbs with my husband and our pets. I have a husband! I have a career. I have a stack of books on my nightstand. I have a nightstand. And seasonal decorations for the foyer. I use words like foyer? Oh, sh*t. It''s all over.''

So, some morning in November 2008 was when I *realized* that I had grown up.

I''d say it all started on May 12, 2002 when they forced me to graduate from college. What a bitter pill that was. (And yes, I remember the exact date because I mourn it each year.)

Hahahahahaha, Haven! I can completely relate!!!!

 

[Dreamgirl]

Date: 1/7/2009 9:19:53 PM
Author: musey
I consider myself to have grown up between 2004-2007 or thereabouts. My biggest years of change were 2004, after which I felt like an adult, and 2007, after which I felt like a 'grown up' (the two were different for me!).

And what caused you to feel this way musey?

As for me, I'm still 'growing up' and working on that it's a major goal of mine. I think this is 'my year' lol! But I think I started feeling a little different within this past year. I base this on the life events that have happened within this past year and a lot of self reflection. I also think that my current job is helping me grow up a lot because all previous jobs I had were unfortunately part time jobs. This is a full time job and has made a signifigant change in my life. I make FAR more money than what I did at any other job I had before in the same industry- I'm being treated like an adult and with respect whereas my last job I was treated terribly and my new job has given me more self confidence. (Which is what I think I need more of to feel completely grown up.) On the otherhand, I wonder if I will ever really feel grown up.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

My first year of residency. I had a real income, I bought a condo, got 2 cats without asking anyones permission, and worked a real job (well kind of).

I am wondering if I will feel more "grown up" next year when I will be out of residency and (hopefully) engaged and moving in with my BF.

 

[akmiss]

It would have to span the late 90s to the early 00s. It was a very long process but amazing. Now that I am settled, I really miss the excitement of it all but there is no going back..... Especially after you have kids

 

[zoebartlett]

I was born in the early '70s but I remember growing up in the '80s, if that makes sense. I don't remember anything about the '70s as a decade, but I remember tons about the '80s.

I think I probably felt more grown up when I got my first real job and my first apartment.

Haven -- I love the revelation you had! I've had that one too.

It doesn't seem real, does it?

 

[Miranda]

For me, it''s a moment in time. Not an era.

The second my first child took his first breath, I was a grown-up. The world changed completely for me. My thoughts and feelings about so many things became opposite of what they were just seconds before.

 

[musey]

Date: 1/26/2009 6:19:07 PM
Author: Dreamgirl

Date: 1/7/2009 9:19:53 PM
Author: musey
I consider myself to have grown up between 2004-2007 or thereabouts. My biggest years of change were 2004, after which I felt like an adult, and 2007, after which I felt like a 'grown up' (the two were different for me!).

And what caused you to feel this way musey?

2004 was a big year of change for me... I had transferred to my second (and last) university, which was a big undertaking for me and forced me to take responsibility for myself in ways I hadn't before. I also fell in love for the first time, and started working professionally in my chosen career path for the first time. I didn't feel like a teenager anymore after that year.

In 2007, I got my undergraduate degree and got engaged, was living with my fiance and taking care of our very own dog. I felt very grown-up.

It's never been any event, just times in my life that I can look back on now and say "Yeah, that's when things changed." I know when I'm 30/35/40/+ I'll look back on just how young I was in 2009. For now, though, those feel like my grownup-ifying years.

 

[Haven]

musey--I thought of your thread at the gym tonight. I ran into a friend I''ve known since grade school, and we ended up talking about how we cook big meals on Sundays to pack and eat throughout the week, yadda yadda yadda. After a minute of that we stopped talking, looked at each other wide-eyed, and busted out laughing. It was a mutual "Wow, are we really old enough to be having THIS conversation?" moment.

I had a teacher in high school tell me that growing up is all about periodically looking back at yourself from five years earlier and thinking "Man, was I a dork." I think he''s right, except for me it happens about once every six months.

 

[mrscushion]

Date: 1/7/2009 9:19:53 PM
Author: musey
I consider myself to have grown up between 2004-2007 or thereabouts. My biggest years of change were 2004, after which I felt like an adult, and 2007, after which I felt like a 'grown up' (the two were different for me!).

Oh my gosh -- pretty much exactly the same answer for me! ETA: In 2004 I graduated college and started my first full time job, so I felt like an adult. However, not till after I made (and realized I had made) some pretty hurtful mistakes in my relationship with SO in 2006 did I finally "grow up". That's at least how I feel about it now.