Happy Birthday?

       Birthdays, in my opinion, are always awkward. Either they are a big deal or a sad, silent affair. It's never a normal day. I admit, I'm a shy and awkward person. I don't like owning the spotlight, so when it comes to my birthday, I stay quiet. I don't go around in a tiara and gown, shouting the date of my birth. Going into this week, I expected a normal, quiet day at school on my twentieth birthday. Besides the quiet, "Happy Birthday", from my parents, I didn't expect much.

       I was wrong.

       During yesterday's lab meeting, the first of the term, the Professor passed around a sheet to write our information on, including our date of births. I remember when I received the paper.  It would look weird to see an empty box right next to my name, so I hesitantly signed it and foolishly hoped the Professor would ignore it. When I went home that night, there are an email from the Professor asking about my cake preference. I couldn't hide it.

       Walking into the lab this morning, I pretended it was a normal day. Most of the lab didn't know it was my birthday, so everything was fine. It wasn't until the Professor popped up, saying, "Happy Birthday!" and announcing cake time. I enjoy cake but not at the expense of my shyness. The lab was eating cake in the break room when the biology department secretary, who is pregnant, came in. I was amazed at her ability to spot the cake. Somehow, she managed to sense cake from the fourth floor. Maybe it's the pregnancy? I didn't mind sharing the cake but she called me a baby when I told her I was twenty.

        All my life, I've always been the youngest. Now that I'm not longer teen, I thought people would treat me as an adult. I feel like an adult. As a senior, I'm making choices that will affect my entire life. However, people still treat me as a child. With such conflicting messages, I really don't know where I am. Am I a child? Am I an adult?

        Happy birthday to me...