"The Teenage Adult " by Nicolai M

In 2023, I was just a teenager in my junior year of high school, wanting to make my own money. It was that time when you first get your driver's license and suddenly the world seems a little bit bigger, and everything seems more exciting and a lot more real. So, I decided it was time to get a job. The job search was a journey, and not one I would want to do again. I remember scrolling through Indeed, sending application after application, at times just for the fun of it at this point. My resume was pretty boring, just volunteer work and many hours of shadowing done at a hospital up north. But I kept at it, every day applying to anything and everything, just hoping for a shot.

 

Then, one day, I got a call. A real person asking if I was still looking for a job. They wanted me for an interview. I was super excited, finally a response after many companies completely ghosting me. The company looked serious, and they were interested in me. I felt like I was stepping into the adult world. Many things ran through my head and feelings of nervousness and excitement were the main senses of emotions at this point. After an interview that I completely killed, I got a call later that night. I got the job. It was a Hospice Patient/Office Admin position. It sounded so mature and so serious. I was just blindsided by one thing, the pay. I was living the dream, or so I thought. Junior year was finishing up, summer break was almost here, and I had a job that made me feel like I was ahead of the game.

 

But then, reality hit. Working in an office wasn't at all like I imagined, it was a whole different ball game. My coworkers were much older, stressed, and sometimes they'd take out their frustrations on whoever was around. There were deadlines, many phone calls, and meetings where every little thing you did was evaluated. It felt like that scene from the beginning of "The Incredibles" where Mr. Incredible is stuck in his little office cubicle, dreaming of leaving his job. This job was my first big step into growing up, but it became a turning point in me really learning more about growth and responsibility. It wasn't just about earning money or feeling all grown up, it was about finding balance and recognizing my limits. At first, I powered through, especially over the summer when I didn't have school to worry about. But then senior year started, and everything got harder. Balancing school, work, and my personal life became very hard. Patients would call, upset about something beyond my control, and I felt like I was drowning in responsibilities that I wasn't ready for.

 

From getting so excited about hearing back and being so happy from landing the job to not even wanting to go to work for those four long hours in that place. That's when I really thought that just because another door opens doesn’t mean you have to walk into that door. Taking on a job that sounded good on paper had really messed up my perception of doing what was good for myself. I realized that moving too fast, and grabbing at opportunities without really thinking them through, might not be the best approach. I learned to value my own well-being over the title of a job or a paycheck.

My time in that job didn't last long, but it left me with a lesson that continues to influence how I handle opportunities and challenges today in my everyday life. It taught me to weigh the potential benefits of a decision and its impact on my life in my current situation. Emphasizing the importance of being self aware and the bravery needed to make tough choices. Admitting the job was too much for me wasn't easy, but necessary for my personal growth, and where I want to be in the future, teaching me to listen to myself. This experience showed me that stepping back isn't failing or feeling behind but a crucial step in understanding myself better and where I see myself growing and moving forward. It showed the power of saying no, understanding the importance of being the right fit, and putting my needs first. These lessons were earned the hard way, have made me more mindful in my decisions, and taught me that unexpected detours like this one are where the most valuable lessons happen. This encourages me to embrace every downhill and uphill because its all part of growing up.