Five Things I Don’t Miss About Being Young

In the past few months I had what one might describe as a sentimental experience. Some art projects I did or took part in, more than fifteen years ago, kept resurfacing. It was fun, I admit, but as an unsentimental person it led me to create a list of things I DON’T miss about being young.

Girls Talk

Endless heart-to-heart way-too-deep conversations. So deep you could drown in them. It could be an intellectual or a pseudo-intellectual talk, a romantic or a pseudo-romantic talk. No matter what the subject was, we could talk for hours and analyze every significant and insignificant fact with the same ridiculous seriousness. Thank God (metaphorically speaking) for growing up. Oh, and for pragmatism too.

Blushing

Being thin-skinned is not an easy load to carry. Imagine your face turning red in response to… well, to just everything. Every minor discomfort is a blushing trigger, and the most frustrating fact is that people tend to interpret it as a compliment, like you having a crush on them or something. No, I didn’t like you, I just felt uncomfortable in your company. Sorry. I’m happy to realize that as each year passed my skin thickened. I’m not fully shielded yet, but 80% protection is good enough for now.

Knowing It All

A mix of arrogance and naivete which led me to believe that feminist activism is no longer needed. Looking back, I understand how far from truth I was. The feminist struggle had only just began, and there’s still a lot of work ahead of us until equality and a healthy dialog between the sexes become just another obvious and normal part of our lives.

Having a Panic Attack Each Time Something Good Is Happening

Failing is usually one of our biggest fears, but for some of us success is no less disturbing. Getting accepted to a desired job or project, winning something or even just being loved can seem like a disaster waiting to happen. It can be a panic attack trigger. Learning how to deal with the good stuff in life can sometimes be harder than dealing with the bad stuff.

Pretending like parties are fun