I'm 24.

As of 4:57 am, May 29th, 2010, I begin my 25th year. How is it that 24 sounds so much older than 23? Is it just me? I guess I think, "hey, 23 is just one year older than 22... which is just one year older than 21... which is just a couple years away from being a teenager"... okay, I know, a stretch. But still, today I feel older. I get reassuring comments from my friends (all of whom seem to be a couple years older than me) reminding me that 24 is still very young in the scheme of things, with the undertone of "what the heck is she complaining about?! I'm older than she is and she's telling me SHE's old?" ;)

I wouldn't say I'm upset about getting older. I'm not, really. I'm happy with the person I'm becoming with each passing day. I'm especially excited for this year, because this year, I'm going to make some exciting things happen for myself.

Right now I'm looking at some art schools. I scoffed at some of these while I was in high school because they were just "colleges" to me at the time. If I could talk to 17 year old me right now, I'd give myself the same talk my art teacher gave me back then - "GAH! You need to go to school for art, Sarah! What are you thinking leaving this behind?! GAHHH!" In my head there were only two options - i. go to art school and become a starving artist, or ii. go to school for business, make some money, then figure out what I really want to do. Had I just put i. before ii. I may have realized I could have both without the starving part. This wisdom only comes from trial and error. 17 year old Sarah probably would still be as stubborn if 24 year old me were to travel back in time and give her a talking to. There's no point wondering "what if" because that's what's brought me here today. I wouldn't have made the friends I've made, I wouldn't have met my man, I wouldn't have experienced so many more things that coming to school in Ottawa has given me.

No regrets. Just some lessons learned, and some new found ambition to make things right, embracing my nature as an artist.