A Peter Pan Mentality

[CrashBang]

Okay so I just responded to a thread with the following, but it was kinda off-topic so thought I'd start my own and here it is!

So, I'm 21 and today I went to a high school to get some teacher training experience. Whilst sitting in the classroom observing the teacher, I kept wanting to raise my hand and answer the questions. I still think of myself as about 16 and still behave as such. I truly haven't matured at all and I worry that, when I'm thirty, I'll still have long hair, wear skinny jeans and just look very out of place for my age... when is it time to grow up? Do I have to? Is it normal to have this Peter Pan mentality? I always just reassure myself that if Scott Pilgrim can be a 22 year old child then so can I!

Have any of you had similar thoughts? Are you in the same boat? Do you feel compelled to grow up but, at the same time, unable to? Am I worrying about this needlessly?

 

[FC Groningen]

It depends on what you want. If you want to move up in today's society, you'd do best to play by its rules. To blend into a group, the group must accept you as a new member before you can set yourself apart.

You can adapt your behaviour, but can't change your personality.

 

[staika]

Don't worry pops it just takes time, at one point in time you'll start to think differently and you'll want to where more professional clothes and cut your hair. This happened to my cousin who I thought would never grow up but one day I saw him and he was completely normal, I was shocked that he would dress and act normal at any point in his life so if it happened to him it can happen to you.

I personally am already quite mature for my age (being around a lot of military guys can do that to you) but I'm content to just grow up the way I want to and let the pieces fall where they may.

 

[FC Groningen]

By the way, the vast majority of the people have such identity crises. I know its wikipedia, but just read it if you're really interested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_crisis_(psychology)

 

[Trivun]

I'm literally two moths away from my 21st birthday, and I see myself as being a pretty mature guy, and an adult. Yet I still enjoy some childish things, for example the other day I passed a park when walking and had the urge to go over and play on the mini obstacle course for the little kids, and on the zip-wire - the only thing stopping me was that I was on my way to a meeting regarding work, and risked being late. Not to mention that everything I do tends to be something I enjoy rather than anything 'work' related. I don't want to have a proper job in a cubicle or office all day, I want to be paid for doing something fun and creative (hence my desire to work in either the gaming industry, or in film-making).

So I'd say I have that sort of 'Peter Pan' mentality as well - nevertheless I know that I'm an adult and as such have various responsibilities, such as paying rent and bills on time, paying taxes (well, don't have to now, but when I move back home I'll have to pay council tax - I don't earn enough yet to pay income tax), voting, and things around the house or flat like chores and so on. Things I didn't have to worry about as a kid. I'll try and keep young through my life if I can, I have a good few years left to enjoy myself before I need to settle down properly, but I just don't want to give up my fun life at this early point...

 

[Nickolai77]

I'll be 21 in October and i'll quite happily act childish if there is a reason too. If my friends are hanging out in a children's play park for instance i'll muck about on the equipment and such. Then of course there are context's where you have to act mature and "grown up".

The key is acting in an appropriate manner in the right context to achieve your own personal ends.

 

[vxicepickxv]

I think there might be a song about that, somewhere on the internet...
There we go.

Remember, growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

 

[Cheesus333]

I'm 16 and, a lot of the time, feel pretty much the same way. I'm constantly terrified that I'll have the same sort of mindset and everything when it comes to moving into my own property, or getting married, or actually making new people out of cells from my body. It scares the shit out of me that I'll be a child in my head for the rest of my life.

But fuck that, I'll grow up at some point. Everyone does, aye?

 

[Woodsey]

I'm 17, and I don't see myself growing up any time soon. Today I laughed at the word "probed" (several times) in my English Literature class.

 

[GothmogII]

....What's wrong with long hair? Oh god I can see it now...cardigans if I'm not wearing suits, gaming replaced with golf. *pristine mental facade of calm crumbles*

Right. And women -still- get to wear all the clothes that look even remotely interesting.

I wouldn't worry about it too much.