With the recent release of Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album “GUTS,” it is hard not to compare the sound of it to her original hit “SOUR.” Most credit it to her growth as an artist, which is true, but I think it goes beyond that. The teenage years are some of the most confusing for any person, but the jump from 18 to 19 is when it feels like everything might change. Let's just say that being a 19-year-old girl is not for the faint of heart.
At 19, one is typically the age of an incoming college sophomore. You have lived your life somewhat independently for a year now, and while you untether yourself from your parents, there’s nothing stable to tether yourself to. Taylor Swift puts it best in “Nothing New” featuring Phoebe Bridgers when she asks, “How can a person know everything at 18/but nothing at 22?” It seems that women, and I think people in general, can agree that 19 is a turning point, and it seems to be a sort of trope in the media nowadays.
We see women on social media saying “I’m a teenage girl in her 20s” because while being 19 is stressful and sometimes lonely, it is one of the most fun times to live through as well. We have basic responsibilities and safety nets all around us. But the reality is that there’s just something that makes it feel like the final phase of growing up: the questions turn from “What do you want to be when you grow up?” to “What are your plans?” and you start being told to act your age.
The truth is that we are all at different stages of our lives at 19. You could be married, you could be in college, you could have a full-time job or you could be doing all three at once, and the worst part of it all is that while you feel like you have finally grown up, the world tells you to know your place as a teenager. The good news is the confusion we feel is us finally gaining self-worth and knowing how we should be treated.
I think the aforementioned is why it is such a touch-on subject in music and movies nowadays. You can’t escape the incredible young women making art, and albums like Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” continue to capture the duality of a 19-year-old girl. Sometimes we feel like screaming, sometimes we feel like crying and sometimes we feel like the most powerful woman in the world. There’s a song for every emotion at the click of a button because none of us have ever had an original experience, and sometimes there’s comfort in that.
Knowing how to navigate 19 is a work in progress for all, but it does not mean we need to be scared of it. We could come out the other side with a money-making hit like “Dear John” (though I hope I don’t). It’s exciting to explore yourself, your relationships, your fears and your loves, right? Maybe. But sometimes the uncertainty is what makes it better. We could be totally new and still be ourselves. I mean, I turn 19 in about two months and I’m not scared (the biggest lie I ever said) because I know I’ll still be me on the flipside.
