Youth is...

Packing List!

• Jorts? Check.

• Jerseys? Check.

• Headphones? Check.

• Soccer Ball? Check.

• Group of Friends? Check.

• Carefree Spirit? Check.

Cheongchun (청춘) is the Korean word for “Youth,” but what is lost in the translation is the essence of youth that cheongchun captures. The essence of growing up, the essence of adolescence. This essence transcends cultures, languages, and area codes, as youth is something that everyone experiences. Wearing a shirt that's a little too big for us because it's passed down from a sibling or cousin after it was passed down to them; exploring the back of our neighborhood with the other kids on our block before it's time for supper; conquering the bright sun and boiling heat that comes with summertime by eating popsicles and blowing bubbles; holding our stomachs and smiling till it hurts after cracking jokes with friends. Youth and its essence surround us, it clings to us, it is eternal, and in a way, youth is its own person.

Fear. The fear of failure, the fear of growing up, and the fear that nothing will be the same. We don’t realize we’re in the good times until they have passed. When we were young all we wanted to do was grow up. Living in our own house with our own set of rules. Not having to listen to our parents and living life how we want to. Now that we’re growing up, reality is settling in and our childlike wonder is at risk. Our days can no longer be spent out in the sun, we have obligations, complex feelings, and an awareness of how the world is changing. Unlike a race amongst friends, we can't beat change. It will always be ahead of us, but if we embrace it and channel the curiosity that we had in our youth, we can hold onto change and use it to our advantage. 

Our youth is more than just our age, it is defined by our naive feelings, our burning desires, and our exciting memories that seem almost a little too distant to recall. We will always cherish what was our youth and want to go back to that simpler time when we danced through our days. Though the time we have left in our youth is limited, we can carry its essence with us and embrace the change that comes with growing up.