Grown-up vs. Adult

I am sure that one day I will be a real grown up. For now though...I'm a happy being only an adult.



The difference, and yes there is a difference, is subtle. Grown-up's are married, own houses or have children, or maybe as of yet they only have a dog (but as I see it dogs are practice children, some people don't like that, but from my experience, it goes: dog....baby). Adults on the other hand....I only classify myself as an adult due to the whole age thing (I mean 26, hardly a teenager) Suddenly no one will do stuff for you the way they used to. I had to buy my own car, and pay its insurance, and fix it when it breaks, and put gas in it, and cook my own food, and due my own laundry, do the dishes, clean the bathroom, change the light bulbs and toilet paper...you get it. But I'm not really tied to anything, house, kids, husband (boyfriend, significant other), dog or even fish...Theoretically, I can just gallivant off and do as I please, hence the subtle but significant difference between being an adult and a grown-up.



Seeing as the main difference is that no one depends on me to take care of them, financially, emotionally or otherwise, therefore as long as I make enough moola to cover my expenses I am able to spend or save the "extra" as I see fit. And what exactly am I spending these oodles of "extra" money on? (extra in quotations, because, who really has extra money laying around) Well possibly school...again. I know.



The Prof. I've been working for for almost 8 months, finally got his way and has convinced me it might be best to continue my education with a Master's degree. Master of Science. Now that would make me a real science geek wouldn't it. A Master science geek even.



None of this is set in stone, and a lot has to be done in a shortish period of time, but the ball is in motion for me to enroll at Trent University come September.



I'm equal parts excited and terrified, no make that 25% excited 75% terrified. Millions of "what if's" are flying through my head. None of which I'll post here, but it will make them more real. But the opportunity for a fresh start, a new city, new friends, new mentors, makes me smile inside. So I just may gallivant off to Peterborough, get a MSc. and put off becoming a grown-up for 2 more years.