Growing Up...

It's been a while since I've written a proper discussion post so here we are... existential crises and personal anecdotes just the way you like em ;)

And the topic is... growing up (which you probably already guessed from the title)
I turned 18 in January and I've had a startling realisation that's kind of sad to think about. Yes, I'm talking about the existential crisis of growing up.... but I'm relating it to books!
I've loved books from a very young age and have naturally always read books with older protagonists (generally 16 or 18). And when I was, like, 10, these characters seemed so much older and cooler than me and I aspired to be like them- they were my role models. And now... I'm realising that I'm the same age or even older than all the characters I used to look up to... which makes me feel relatively boring and unremarkable, to be honest (if you haven't slayed a dragon or fought demons before the age of 18, what are you even doing with your life?).

For example, the Gallagher Academy series was my all-time favourite as a kid (I'll be honest, it still is). It was one of the series that truly got me obsessed with reading and it helped me get through a lot- childhood, operations, struggles at school- I owe the series a lot. And I was always able to look up to these characters and idolise them. Throughout the series, the characters range from 16 to 18 years old and, now that I'm older than them, it feels like a section of my life is over too which is sad to think about.
And to hammer it home even more, I could just look at the book I'm currently writing myself. When I started writing this book, I was 16 years old. My main character is 18 and, at the time of just starting to write her, I liked that she was older than me and, weirdly, I looked up to her and the other characters as well. And now... it's so odd to think that I'm actually the same age as her! She goes through so much and has to struggle through a lot of difficult situations (which I totally am to blame for because...I'm writing her into these situations) and I can't even believe she's just the same age as me. At least there are other characters around 19 and 20 but, by the time I've finished all my edits (let alone the two sequels) I'll probably be a lot older than that too.
As a whole, I just think it's a little bittersweet to grow older than your childhood favourite characters.
And the moral of the story? I'm getting old :P

Is it the same for anyone else? Any childhood idols that you've surpassed in age?

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment your thoughts. Stay amazing!
Chloe