1993.

I will be 24 next month, so I am not old by any means. However, that didn't stop me from having my first, "I feel old experience," in class the other day. I guess that I will have to realize that as an almost 24 year old who is still in college, I am going to be surrounded by quite a few fresh out of high school faces. However, until the other day, it had never occurred to me that I am one of the older people in class.

Last Thursday, everyone was standing up and giving presentations. The young man who sits in front of me stood up and in the course of his speech he said something about how 1989 was two years before he was born. I was shocked and I quietly said, "Wow! He was born in 1991!" It was then that the unthinkable happened. The girl next to me smiled and said, "Well, I was born in 1993."

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! 1993?! People born in 1993 are old enough to take college courses? (Granted she is a high school student doing Running Start) Seriously? I remember 1993. There are songs from 1993 that I still love and consider among my favorites. Ace of Base was still popular in 1993. The Gin Blossoms were topping the charts. 1993 was an awesome year. I turned 7 that year and I was rocking baby doll dresses, black Mary Janes, and I did my hair with the Bobsy (at least I think that's the name).

I also realized, after talking to this very nice young lady for most of the 3 hour period that I spend in class, that I am too old to be her friend. We have nothing in common. Even the way that she talks seems young and distant from where I am in life. She is absolutely, unmistakably from a different generation than myself. I'm not saying that I want to hang out with people who are 6 or 7 years older than me. But I had just never realized before that even though I am young, I am not really young anymore.

Youth is leaving me especially quickly since I am already married and have a family. I plan on becoming a teacher and I always thought that I would be the really cool, young teacher and now I realize that I am out of touch with young people. How did that happen? When did I grow up? I would really like to know so that I can warn my children to watch for that moment for themselves.

The whole day left me feeling old and confused. The only thing that I know for sure is that 1993 will forever be remembered as the year that caused me to realize that I am getting old. I don't know if I will ever feel the same about The Gin Blossoms again. Well, that's a lie. I still love them. I might as well embrace my impending old age.