When Adulthood Sneaks Up On You
"When did this happen?"—and more thoughts from a grown woman.
I sketched the Trix rabbit in an old journal. He came out pretty well. Another one in my series of cartoon sketches.
A guy I used to date was a real art nerd like me. He once gifted me a painting easel, went with me to a wheel-thrown pottery class, and painted a mug in the shape of a Viking’s head at Color Me Mine. I was cleaning up some stuff in storage and found an off-brand box of crayons and an adult coloring book he gave me because he said it would help me destress. He liked to make fun of me for being so career-driven.
Well, I put them to use, but this one is actually one of the less colorful ones. I want to be like David Cho when he goes live on Instagram and just gets into a flow state, drawing a bunch of random stuff. Unlike me, he really goes all out, but that’s the level of “I don’t give a f*ck” that I aim to achieve with art.
This sketch reminds me of Saturday morning cartoons or summer break when my sister and I would flip through channels on our big boxy analog TV and see a Trix commercial flash across the screen. “Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!” Mesmerized by the colors and animations, we wanted to be a part of the fun and try some for ourselves.
Those were the days, though. Just lounging around without a care in the world. We would hang out with all our little neighborhood friends, go swimming, rollerblading, and play tag. We were latchkey kids during the school year, but on summer break, we were playing outside until the streetlights came on.
Coincidentally, it’s summer now and I’m on break from school once again. Except as an adult, I’ve forgone the sugary cereal and lounging around in exchange for green smoothies and staying active. My third semester of business school is in a few weeks, and this time I’m the one learning how to sell [a product]. My days are a whole lot busier, too.
Adulthood looks different than what I thought it would. Having a family has always been the expectation, but I’m 33, unmarried, and child-free. Seeing as things have gone a different direction, I’m forced to take a step back and see the good in what I have and the perks of being single. I’m going to be that old lady who laughs at immature jokes, pairs neon sunglasses with cheetah print sweaters, and never stops trying new things because she’s a big kid herself.
No matter how busy I get, I’ll always take a few minutes to exercise my creativity. Sometimes it means doodling in a notebook.