I am 17

& the whole wide world is open for me. College, gap year, military or work. There are too many choices to pick form. Mom , Dad, Aunts and Uncles, Teachers and Friends are telling me, make the choice. Make the choice of what you want to be, who you want to be and where you want to be. And all I want to say back is

I am 17

& I want to be sneaking out of the house to my boyfriends, having a party when my parents are away. But I don’t.

That is the key here.

I don’t because I have their trust and I don’t want to loose it. I don’t because I listen to what they have to say and I respect when they tell me no. I don’t because they raised me right. But still Mom , Dad, Aunts and Uncles, Teachers and Friends are telling me, make the choice. Make the choice of what you want to be, who you want to be and where you want to be. And all I want to say back is

I am 17

& I don’t want to be at home filling out applications. I want to be driving too fast, spending too much money and being with friends. But I don’t.

That is the key here.

I don’t because I know that my future matters. I don’t because I know that college is expensive and I know my family doesn’t have a lot of money to pay for it. I don’t because they raised me right. But still Mom , Dad, Aunts and Uncles, Teachers and Friends are telling me, make the choice. Make the choice of what you want to be, who you want to be and where you want to be. And all I want to say back is

I am 17

& I know my life matters, I know that I need to fill this out and sign that. But if you want me to be successful and live my life, they let me be me. Let me sneak out of the house, let me throw a party and get caught, let me drive to fast, get a ticket, spend all my money on one thing and then learn the value of work and let me be with my friends. All I have left with them is this one summer. But I don’t.

That is the key here.

I tell them,

I am 17

& I am going to kick college’s ass. I am going to spend late nights in the library studying and writing papers. I am going to attend all my classes. I am going to become a vet, have a family and make a lot of money. But as for right now, I am going to sneak out of the house to see my boyfriend, throw a party when your away, drive to fast just cause I can, spend all my money on expensive coffee and hang out with my friends, just for one last summer. Then I’ll make the choices. What I’m going to be, Who I’m going to be, Where I’m going to be.