“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”
This is a question people ask in interviews because apparently, 10 years is a long enough time period to get a lot of cool shit done.
If someone asked me this question now, I would say, ‘married with a couple of kids living in a nice house as an established writer with a great career.’ AKA, I assume I will totally and completely have my shit together in 10 years. But, like, I’ll be 37, so I’ll have to have my shit together by then, right?
What’s funny is that 10 years ago, when I was asked this question, I thought I would have my shit together now. I figured that being in your late-20s meant you were a grown-up, and I figured that all grown-ups had their shit together. But now that I’m in my late-20s, I feel like I’m still a kid. I am not at all where I thought I would be 10 years ago, but I actually wouldn’t want to be where I thought I would be. Things change. I grew. But I’m glad my youth didn’t end like I thought it would. I’m still holding onto a part of it, and that’s fine with me.
In honor of graduating high school 10 years ago today, here is a look at where I thought I’d be versus where I actually am now.
But first, here is a look at what I look liked then vs what I look like now AKA kind of the same.
Where I’d be living…
Expectation:
Back in 2006, I was obsessed with 1. ‘The OC’ (still am) and 2. becoming a writer for a TV show. Naturally, both of these obsessions led me to also be obsessed with the prospect of living in Southern California. For some reason, I chose to go to school in a place that is literally the polar opposite of Southern California, though — AKA upstate (or central, whatever) New York — but I planned to ‘study abroad’ in the foreign city of Los Angeles while in school and was pretty set on living there after I graduated. I figured I would roll up to my 10-year reunion in a fancy ass car that I rented because I would be visiting from my lavish life in Hollywood.
Reality:
I live 30 minutes from the house I grew up in. And I write a blog, not a TV show. And I own a Honda CRV. Help.
Where I’d be working…
Expectation:
Like I said, I figured I would have written my own TV show by the time I turned 28 (I guess I still have 3 months to do this). I figured I would be a high-powered executive who told people what to do and was always on her cell phone discussing business. I figured I would be a boss, basically.
Reality:
I write my own blog in yoga pants and talk to myself because I am alone literally all day every day. I tell people, mostly my boyfriend, what to do and am always on my cell phone discussing nonsense and scrolling through Instagram. I was technically a boss, but then I got laid off. I should also add, I guess I didn’t know blogging and social media would be a thing, never mind a job, in 2006, but ‘tevs. Still not the life I thought I’d be living.
What my relationship status would be…
Expectation:
As a senior in high school, I thought 28 was SOOOOO OLD. I figured, even though I had never actually been in a relationship at this point in my life, that I would be married and maybe even pregnant – or thinking about getting pregnant – 10 years in the future. I pictured myself attending my 10 year reunion with my husband and meeting everyone elses’ spouses and talking about business and kids.
Reality:
Legit 95% of people I still associate with from high school are not married. In fact, most are single. I am attending 1 wedding this summer and went to 2 last summer. I have no friends that are recently engaged and could be getting married next summer. The majority of people I know will be getting married in their 30s (maybe), when I used to picture my late 20s being full of weddings. As for me, I’ve been in a relationship for 7 years, so I guess that’s a plus for my 17-year-old self, but I’m not married and I am not thinking about having a kid any time soon so sry.
What my bank account would look like:
Expectation:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Reality:
-$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
What kind of home I would be living in:
Expectation:
I thought I would have been exhausted with #citylife and would have settled in the suburbs by now. I figured I would have saved enough money to buy a nice home and would live in a nice home and it would be furnished by the likes of Pottery Barn and other fancy places I didn’t know about because when I was 17, the fanciest place I knew was Abercrombie & Fitch.
Reality:
I rent an apartment in a nice area in a city. I have some money in savings, but I’m job searching, so I should have more. Regardless, my savings are no where near being enough to buy a house. In fact, I still LOL at the thought of buying a house and can’t believe I thought I would be able to buy one at this age when I was in high school. Maybe I didn’t know how much houses cost back then, but I figured because my parents owned one when they were my age, I would too. What I didn’t realize was that my parents were actually unicorns.
What I would look like…
Expectation:
When I pictured my future self, I pictured a skinny model who wore stilettos with ease.
Reality:
I am still average, and I still can’t wear stilettos.
