As an older Gen Z’er, I sometimes struggle with comparing myself to my peers.
Welcome back to Gen Z Journals.
I am a pre-med freshman at University.
Other than that, the occasional expenditure on necessary clothes and hygiene is probably $20 or less monthly.
As for how I feel about my financial situation: I!
I’m looking for a job in my field, which will probably be lab work.
I love working in the lab so much; it’s like church to me.
For the record, I would’ve been happy with an ‘average teenager job.’
I love work; I want to get out there!
Right now, my to-do list is full of homework.
Other large-scale things like job applications and med school logistics float from list to list.
My sleep schedule isn’t great.
It isn’t the greatest habit, but it works for me.
I am a proud aromantic!
I am bisexual, but I also love my aromanticism.
The thought of being in a romantic relationship is horrible to me, but I don’t judge.
My friends are my world; they and my family are all I need in life.
Honestly, starting university was terrifying.
I still live at home, so to most people, it doesn’t look like a huge change.
I’m doing a lot of this on my own, and it’s scary!
Hell, I’m applying for jobs and can’t even tell my parents.
Being in the medical world is wonderful but also a huge leap for me.
In my spare time, though, I love drawing abstract designs.
Right now, I’m in an art deco phase; I’ve been creating my own designs!
But other days, it nearly breaks my heart.
That said, I have two goals for 2024: kiss a girl and get a job.
I’ve definitely found it hard to make friends in university.
Being a commuter and having such a complicated background makes it hard to connect with people.
My family constantly saps my energy, and I’ve been too scared to join queer communities on campus.
I constantly feel like I’m horrifically behind.
What near-20-year-old has no savings, no job history, no freedom?
I often feel like I’ve squandered my future.
I can’t even begin to describe how out of place I’ve felt my whole life.
What you might’t afford is to waste it."
I remember that quote every couple of weeks or so, and it always hits me in the gut.
I don’t have regrets about my past.
I’m learning that more and more as I find new ways to succeed in life.
Note: This submission has been edited for length and/or clarity.
