With the exception of 14th and 19th birthdays, each birthday between 13 and 21 marks a passage to adulthood.

Becoming a teenager. 14. Quinceañera. Sweet 16 and driver’s license. Rated-R movies. Buying lottery tickets, voting and getting a tattoo. 19. No longer being a teenager. Legal drinking age.

As 12 becomes 13, the coming of age story begins. It can be found in books, movies and TV. From Grease to American Pie to High School Musical to Secret Life of the American Teenager, the coming of age story thrives. Despite the story being emblazoned on the big screen, students at Antioch Community High School are real life representations of this coming of age.

Sweet 15: The Quinceañera
A Quinceañera is a special ceremony celebrating a young girl of Mexican descent becoming a young woman, similar to a sweet sixteen. Senior Kelsey Maldonado had her Quinceañera in the summer between her freshman and sophomore years.

Maldonado was accompanied by many family members and about 15-20 friends. Maldonado’s special day took a lot of preparation, and each event that took place was very important for the Quinceañera to be done just the way she wanted it.

“In the morning I got ready in one dress that was champagne colored and antique-like, and there were cars that took us [to the church],” Maldonado said. “They were pre-1958 cars. We went to the church, and there was a ceremony that would give me blessings to continue my good life and stay with the church. They blessed me, and then they blessed the gifts I was given by my sponsors: a ring from my nana, a pair of earrings from my aunt, a bracelet from my God-mother and a necklace from my grandma. Then, we went to take pictures, and the reception followed.”

A busy morning was not the end to Maldonado’s Quinceañera. Instead, the party went well into the night.

“I changed into a blue dress and did my first dance, which was a waltz. We ate, and then we did the doll ceremony where my sister gives a porcelain doll that would signify as my last toy. My dad changed my shoes from flats (child’s shoes) to heels (adult shoes). The sponsor that bought my crown put it on my head. After, we did the daddy daughter dance which we used two songs that the DJ did a mash-up on. Then we changed into clothing to dance hip hop in and did my hip hop dance that had about 4-5 different songs in it. After that, we just cut cake, and both my parents fed me cake. We danced all night until around 12 or 1,” Maldonado said.

A Quinceañera is the opportune moment when a girl is literally treated like royalty.

“It was like being a princess. At times it was awkward because you knew that everyone was looking at you, but it was the best. There was a lot to do, and it was crazy, but so much fun,” said Maldonado.  

A Quinceañera is a very big deal for Mexican families everywhere. Since family is very important to people of Mexican descent, for a daughter to be seen as a woman in the family, is a big change and can sometimes even be very emotional for everyone attending. A daughter is treated with a whole new kind of respect and can sometimes be given more responsibilities.

18: The Final Transition to Adulthood Begins
Getting older leads to new opportunities to try new things. Life is all about the experience, and turning 18 is considered to be to start of acting more mature and taking big steps into adulthood. This transition includes accepting additional responsibilities. It also means being able to vote, legally get a tattoo and buying lottery tickets, among other things.

Senior Ashley LaPointe received her first tattoo on her 18th birthday while on a college visit in Missouri. For someone who loves to run as much as LaPointe, she got a little reminder of just how important running is in her life.

“I’ve been running ever since I could walk. I used to race the boys in my neighborhood and always beat them, but I’ve been running competitively on a team since 6th grade,” said LaPointe. “I was diagnosed with back arthritis when I was 14, and was told by all my doctors I couldn’t run anymore. It totally crushed me, and running became so hard for me, and I almost stopped. I realized running is a part of me and nothing will make me stop doing that. If there comes a day that I can’t walk anymore because I refused to stop, then at least I can say I never gave up. I don’t need to go through anything easy in my life because I’m am strong enough to accomplish anything as long as it’s possible.”

LaPointe got a tattoo on her ankle that says “I don’t need easy, I JUST NEED POSSIBLE,” a permanent reminder that there isn’t anything that she cannot do when she puts her mind to it and works hard each and everyday.

Once a teenager turns 18, they are expected to take on a whole new kind of responsibility. Things can be bought that couldn’t be before, one can go to different places, and it can be a hole different kind of fun but, it’s about being responsible with all of those new privileges. The teenagers who are more responsible are more apt to have a successful life, and that all starts at age 18.

Growing up is hard to do. Growing up means responsibility and heartache. It means love and pain. It means happiness and sadness. Growing up means making more of oneself.

When freshman year rolls around, when 12 becomes 13, students find themselves at the beginning of an epic journey. When 17 becomes 18, senior year, responsibility puts pressure on success, and change means maturity. When 20 becomes 21, the journey to adulthood slowly ends and the future begins again. The coming of age story comes full-circle.