I turned 25 and it's a drag

So, I turned 25 this week. It’s not exactly an achievement, but I’d call it a checkpoint. The last 25 years have been good—privileged, to say the least. Compared to the average person, I’d say I’ve been extremely fortunate and blessed in many aspects of life.

From what I remember, my early years were typical school kid days. I had academic goals set by my parents, which I was expected to pursue. I did my best—not the top of the class, but I managed to make it to high school.

High school wasn’t particularly difficult either. The plan remained the same: follow the academic target, do your best. I graduated with decent grades and made it to senior secondary school.

Now, when you’re in your late teens, you start experiencing love, affection, and attraction for the first time. In rare cases, it’s genuine and might even change your life for the better. But for me, it went the other way. I spent most of my senior secondary years chasing after someone who was never meant for me. As a result, I performed poorly in academics. Looking back, I think it’s fine. That phase taught me a valuable lesson—how not to be delusional.

And so, I entered the world of engineering. Since I’d messed up my senior secondary grades, I couldn’t make it into the IIITs or NITs. But somehow, I landed in a tier-3 government college. I was happy, to be honest.

My time there was colorful. Life threw a bit of everything my way. From starting as a noob entrepreneur to becoming a hopeless romantic, I saw it all. I found genuine love with someone, but messed that up too. It’s all in the past now. Academically, I did okay and graduated.

Then COVID happened, and like many, I was stuck at home. Instead of a traditional software job, I started working remotely for a company. I learned a lot during that time.

And here I am now, 25, slightly drunk, and at peace—well, peace is subjective, but I think I’ve found my rhythm. I’m working at a startup with good people in a positive environment. I hope to make something of myself from here, though there are still some struggles.

Looking back, I realize it’s never been easy. Studying hard to top exams, solving complex tech problems—it all took effort. Even though I’ve found my rhythm, my body sometimes gives up. Walking long distances feels hard, and climbing stairs is exhausting. More often than not, I find myself questioning my existence. Life has moved so quickly—am I really ready for adulthood?

There are too many questions now, and yeah, being an adult sucks. It does.

So that’s it—a kind of rant, I suppose? I intended to reflect on the years I’ve lived, but it ended up like this. Maybe I’ve truly become an adult.

Thanks for reading and sticking with me. If you’re someone close to me, please stay close.