are we really growing up?

During the past week a have noticed a serious change in or topics of conversation. This might be partly due to the fact that on Thursday I was watching this year’s “Abit” on their “no more mornings ride”. It is only 5years ago that we were in the same trucks – throwing sweets to people watching us celebrate the last day of school.

Now, after spending yet another five years at school, we are starting to talk about the life after school. What are we going to do when we get a monthly salary? I have been told that this is something that appears to your account at the end of every month. It does experience strong fluctuations due to exams, much needed holiday or illness. Yet, at the same time it forced you to go to work on a regular basis. The times, when you could change a shift because of a big party or an important date will be history.

The monthly salary made its way into another conversation as well – children. A friend of mine pointed out that either her or her husband will have to get a permanent job after graduation – and due to her choice of career it won’t be her. This is not because adults are supposed to have a constant stream of income but because somebody has to feed their children – which are still at the stage of planning.

Children seem to creep into all conversations. One, a major one is that of apartments or houses – where should one buy to ensure that ones kids go to a good school and can play freely and be safe? Helsinki is seen as a big and dangerous city so the best place would be either in the suburbs or in a small town somewhere in the middle of the country. Top floor, without an elevator will no longer be considered nor a 2room and a kitchen flat.

Cars have to be changed as well. Still a year ago someone I know was proud of his beautiful Audi A4. The car was better kept than most women. But now, it will be changed into a more practical, more efficient and cheaper to use diesel.

And it is not only our minds that are changing but our looks as well. When I went to the pharmacy to buy multivitamins I was told that if I am planning to get pregnant I should not take the one I was going to buy as it had vitamin A. And this was the third comment along these lines, in one week.

Are we all seriously slowly sliding into the trap of four remote controls and Saturdays in front of the TV?

(my brother just asked me to join him in his quest to save the land of Coco pops – maybe there is still hope)