How Long It Takes To Be a Man?

I have been in this world for 21 years. Legally, I am a man fully responsible for my behaviors. But the number 21 does not make a person any near to a man, especially for our generation. Owing to our one child policy, any children in our generation are more or less spoiled by the elders, no matter are parents or grandparents. The consequence is that we are less mature than we should be. My parents always tell me story about how they started a living on themselves when they were at our age. Alone, off home and financially independent. This becomes unrealizable because of the extended education path--you will celebrate your 21th birthday in the school. We cannot become financially independent for the over-priced education, but this should not prevent us from being a man. Being a man means knowing what to do in the future, knowing what to make a living, and knowing how to treat people.

These things are not taught by our education. They are taught by experience and self-consciousness.
I feel myself left behind of the process of being mature comparing to my parent's generation. My mind is still wondering around in the blueprint of my future. I have an urgent notion that I have to like what I do, what I study. Mind is such powerful strength that it solely determines where I will be in the future. If I don't appreciate what I am doing, I will not have the will power to go further enough to achieve something that I could have achieved.

I have 2 full years left before college. So let me postpone the deadline of being a man to the age of 23. I think it is enough for me to be a true man. By that time, I will have finished the blueprint of my future and totally fall in love with it.

I wrote the last paragraph for you. Each individual is unique due to their own experience. Most of the geniuses just have the right environment to stimulate their intelligence. We already know how much potential within our brains, and the trigger is our mind which can bring those potential out.

The Power of Being Happy

Recently, I find enormous power of being happy.
I spent most of my time being in the middle space of happiness and bitterness. That is I neither feel happy nor feel upset. I have some moments of being happy when I achieve a goal or recreate with my friend. I also have many moments of being stressful and nervous when I am driven by my ambitions. So if there is a 10-point scale measuring happiness, I give myself 5 points.
We have many old sayings and notions telling us that in order to be happy, one has to torture himself first. Many people believe these notions and become followers of them. As a result, some of them quit because they are worn out. The remainders are the most willful people, but they have experienced so much pain.
Being happy is not about conquering, comparing or competing. It is only about self-sufficient. Once one achieves self-sufficient, he or she can gain happiness in the most sustainable way. Eventually, one can have permanent joy.
Being ambitious is not wrong. A man can have a heart as big as ocean. But at the meantime, the heart should also be big enough to hold all the things in it. Holding things is not a painful process, but rather a conscious act. This conscious act gives us happiness and makes us immune to life.
Being happy can drive away cowardliness and nervousness within ourselves. It is the ultimate power of all emotions; it controls every acts of us. I find myself feel more confident, courageous, self-controlled and intelligent when I am happy.

Summer

Therefore, the first year is near the end. Tomorrow, I am no longer a sophomore. In fact, I am no longer the one that I used to be—confused as well as determined, passionate as well as passive sometimes. I am grown. I can feel my personalities become more stable, and I am more self-controlled. I am happy I find ways. I am happy that some people surround me inspire me a lot.

This summer, I will begin my spiritual journey. Where? From books and people. I am going to read books of great minds, listen to someone teach people priceless philosophy. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to expose to this most diverse culture environment in the world. I would never see these things and people if I spend my life in my own country. Now, I am standing on the highest mountain to the see the world.

There is always a person that inspires and drives me. I do not want to mention his name here. But he is really such a great people. He lets me see how influential an international student can be. He lets me see the possibility, and I assume this possibility can be realized if I am hard enough.