I have spent 18 years walking around on this earth, and about 11 of those years I was supposed to be having my childish ‘she doesn’t know any better’ years. Here I am as a legal adult and I still do plenty of childish things. So allow me to tell you why I will never be an adult.

First off, I sleep with a panda pillow pet. I’m not ashamed. It’s cozy and I love it to bits. I still can’t do my own income taxes (shout out to my mom has done them for me the last two years), and yes, I can and will eat straight Nutella (the freshman 15 is going to hit me like a tidal wave). I am not afraid to admit these things because since I have started college I have noticed some people still hold on to their childish tendencies. Shout outs to all my buddies rocking their own pillow pets, and to those who dance in their dorms while their roommates are not there.

I am also in the lucky group of people who look like they are nowhere near their actual age. I tried to buy a lottery ticket the other day and got carded (which was expected), but the cashier gave me the look of ‘oh really now’. This was probably because I was buying my personal favorite: the crossword scratch off, and a bunch of candy. In my defense, the candy was for my father who is also a huge child.

Really people should just learn to be a little less mature sometimes and have fun. I see you out there stepping on those especially crunchy looking leaves, but also trying to act mature about it because you’re in public. Or those days when Decatur decides to be Decatur and it rains like crazy and you just want to run through that puddle just because you can. Especially let your inner child out when you go a little overboard on the ice cream in the café. It’s ok! Just because you’re in college doesn’t mean you have to act a certain way. You do you. So yeah, maybe one day my mom will say “Kayce, you’re too old not to do your own taxes,” but for now I’ll be going to bed with my pillow pet, watching Netflix and blissfully ignoring some assignment that’s due the next morning. Only because sometimes, you have to enjoy the childish things in life.