i love you more than being seventeen

it's one minute until I turn eighteen. here is what being seventeen has meant to me.

seventeen is the thrill of strolling past the bouncers and into a bar without getting IDed.
it's being interested in politics and reading about elections and knowing that you're this close to being able to vote for yourself.
it's the third from last year. which means staying up late feeling passionate about song lyrics, feeling like you have slight license to be that little bit more self indulgent than "real" adults.
it's smiling when you hear julian casablancas singing "i love you more than being seventeen" and knowing how strong that love must be.
it's borrowing a friend's passport and learning off by heart their signature contact details in case of emergency.
it's looking back at your friend's 14 year old sibling, marveling at those last three years and everything that has changed.
it's knowing that you can drive if you really want (in the uk at least) but moaning about the cost of road tax and petrol.
it's leaving school, leaving behind people that you know, cutting ties even when you don't want to, looking forward and taking with you all the snippets of information and words of advice from special teachers.

goodbye seventeen, it was a good year. one of the best!