Let's Talk Age

It may seem weird for this to come from me, but I am getting old. This week, I turn 19, and by the time this paper is printed and published, that special day will have come and gone like most any other. Nonetheless, I can’t help but come to the realization that for me, time has flown by these past few years, and I’m sure my parents and grandparents will say the same. While this might seem like an odd topic for a column this week, there are a number of connections to age and maturity I wish to explore here, especially as they tie into my travels and my perceptions on adding another year to my life’s tally.

The first thing to note with regard to my views on age is that my perceptions therein tend to stem from my experiences abroad. In the U.S., age is a clear enough concept: you turn a certain age on your birthday, there’s usually a celebration of sorts, and that’s that. In Malaysia, things work just a tad differently. For starters, the age that you introduce yourself as, the age that you write on documents and forms, is often based on a person’s birth year and not necessarily their birth date. For example, during my time in Malaysia, I was 16 at the start, by American standards, but 17 by Malaysian ones. This is because in 2023, all people born in 2006 would be considered 17, whether or not their “true” birthdate had been reached. Thanks to this system, by the time that 2024 rolled around, I was already having to introduce myself as 18 years old. According to Malaysian standards, I am 19 now, and I have been since January 1st of this year—the same as every person born in 2006. When I go back to visit this winter, I’ll have to come to grips with the concept of saying that I am a 20 year old.

I like the Malaysian system a lot, but within that, there is also less of an emphasis placed on people’s birthdays. It’s not nearly as big of a deal, at least from what I observed, as it is in the United States. Each system has its benefits, its drawbacks, its tradeoffs—as do most areas of difference in culture or tradition. For the idea of age in particular, however, I find something more fascinating.

While I was in D.C. a few weeks ago, I was chatting with the head of the YES Abroad program when the concept of maturity was brought up. In the ensuing discussion, a number of points were made, but the broad consensus was that an exchange experience, such as the one I went on when I was 16 turning 17, does an incredible job at exponentially increasing an individual’s maturity levels when they go about fully participating in such an immersive program. I would say that this hypothesis certainly holds true for myself.

I have always felt older than I am, more mature than my age may otherwise suggest, and that’s for both better and worse. When, in India, this summer, one of my coworker’s children referred to me as “uncle” (a title typically reserved for male figures around 25-30 years old and up), the realization that I was genuinely progressing along the cycle of life hit me like a freight train. While yes, I have always been mature, I have found, as of late, that that expressed maturity is finally beginning to catch up to my true age.

So, as I go about my life this week, fixated on the fact that I have now reached the last of my teenage years, I am especially focused on finding more programs and opportunities that will facilitate my personal growth, keeping me ahead of the curve in terms of maturity. At the same time, I am beginning to see the value in slowing down moments like these and savoring the time I have. Essentially, I want to make the most of my years ahead by taking them in full, not trying to rush ahead to some arbitrary age. 19 is a number that says very little about the way I have lived my life and experienced the world, yet there remains truth behind it.

With that said, happy birthday to all those celebrating this week, and I’ll catch you all again in next week’s column!