When you grow up in a culture where young children are obliged to greet every person they walk past with a polite “Good day,” and refer to them as “auntie” or “uncle,” you start feeling the weight of age when you hear someone say, “Bonjour, ya tante!” (Good day, auntie!). Excuse me? Did you just call me "tante"? When did I cross into this new territory of adulthood in which I'm an "auntie"? And more importantly, where did all the time go? One minute you are the cute kid in the neighborhood getting away with mischief, and the next you’re suddenly in the “tante” club. What is next? Being asked for recipes?

But then again, there is a flip side to this newfound "auntie" identity. I am now old enough to attend my parents’ work dinners—an upgrade from the days of being banned from “adult-only” gatherings. I am no longer considered a child, and that means no more sitting at home or being kicked to the kids' table. As I now walk into a gathering, I’m flooded with comments like, “My, how you have grown!” I nod politely at such remarks, but deep down, I’m buzzing with excitement. This is it; this is where life begins. I do not want to sound like a character from Bridgerton, but I genuinely feel like I am entering society for the first time.

Let me share a passage from a book I am currently reading called A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara: “But despite his friends’ anxieties, he knew he would love being thirty, for the very reason they hated it: because it was an age of undeniable adulthood.” While I know this quote is about turning thirty, but if you are reading this and are under twenty, I am here to tell you that the sense of undeniable adulthood looms close for us too. It is like standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to jump off into the great unknown. Scary? Sure. But also exhilarating!

There is a weird kind of freedom that comes with turning twenty. When you are a teenager and do not know what you want to do with your life, it feels like there are still chains holding you back—school, parents, society, whatever. But at twenty, the possibilities stretch out before you like the horizon. You can sail into uncharted waters and climb new heights with fewer restraints. Not knowing what you are doing feels a lot more liberating when you have the space to figure it out. Being a teenager and “finding yourself” was just the pre-game; turning twenty is when the real adventure begins!

Here is a perk I did not see coming: no more sitting next to your snot-nosed little cousin at family gatherings! Sure, you may now be seated next to an overbearing aunt or uncle who will bombard you with questions about your future plans, but at least it is an upgrade in terms of food and seating arrangements. Welcome to the adult table—where the conversations are slightly more tolerable, and the desserts are plentiful!

Turning 21 means no more restrictions—hello, full adult privileges! Traveling without curfews, sipping wine at fancy dinners, and going to that jazz club you’ve always wanted to try. All of it is on the horizon.

Turning 20 is the start of it all; turning 21 is its own celebration with a world of new possibilities; and 22? It is just a clean, solid number with an anthem to match. What’s not to love?

I am stepping into my twenties with the hope that the world is still as wide and full of possibilities as it seems right now. I want to explore, learn, and grow without any limits.

Who says you have to lose that youthful optimism just because you’ve hit the big 2-0? Here’s to holding on to that wonder and seeing the world as a place full of magic and potential.

Whether it’s the kind of love you find in storybooks or something entirely different, I’m ready for it. I hope my twenties bring me connections that are deep, meaningful, and full of laughter and joy.

So, here I am, at the intersection of youth and adulthood, looking back at the past with nostalgia and ahead at the future with excitement. Goodbye, girlhood; hello, womanhood. Here’s to turning twenty and embracing everything that comes with it—the confusion, the thrill, the growth, and most of all, the joy of being alive and figuring it all out. Bring it on, twenties!