Certain Events Mark the Beginning of Maturity

There are certain events in a person’s life that when looked back upon reflect a point in which the origins of their maturity begin to be reached. It is normally a large array of events that all in turn contribute to the final result of reaching what we have called maturity. I myself can recall three main events that contributed to where my maturity level is at today.

The first event happened when I was fourteen. Needing money to afford the new ski gear I wanted I realized I was in need of my first job. After working tirelessly to produce the best resume I could muster at such an age, I managed to get an interview at the local Wendy’s. In my opinion that interview marks the beginning of my maturity. Before the interview I made sure I was wearing clean clothes and that they were not baggy enough to be considered socially unacceptable. I practiced running through probable interview questions and answers with my dad, I even went as far as to look up background information on the company. When I went for the interview I focused on being courteous and polite. Darren, the manager that my interview was with, seemed to think the impression I made was adequate enough to deserve a job. Maturity is defined as the state of being fully grown or developed, and I believe that mine and everyone’s first job marks a beginning step in that direction.

The second event occurred as a result of the first event that I mentioned. I had always been somewhat handed things up to that point in my life. Since I was now making my own money my parents thought it was time for me to realize the value of money and how all the little things do indeed add up. It was time for me to open my very own bank account filled with the money I was earning and a debit card just for me. That first month was probably one of the biggest surprises of my life as I realized I had spent four hundred dollars on food and small things alone. This event taught me to manage my money and most important of all not take the small things for granted. I learned to regularly check on my savings as well as keep a mental tab going and even created a system in which I could determine how much money I was able to spend for each week. Now managing school, a job, and my cash flow, I was much more independent. Which, as mentioned before is another step towards being fully grown and developed.

The final main event that I attribute to my maturity level was when I realized what I wanted to do if life, and what I knew I had to do there. I had the epiphany that if I wanted to get into a good university, my grades had to show I was ready. Starting in grade 11 my average went from a 62% up into the 90’s. I can’t really describe it much, besides the fact that I realized I had to start trying if I wanted to get to where I wanted. Using my past experience it was quite easy to set goals and make sure I reached them. My teachers were impressed on my new found work ethics and amazed at the results they were yielding. Overall I think there are many different events that contribute to a person’s maturity. They are different for everyone, but they all include settings goals and learning to be more independent.