The months before turning 16 were filled with an impatient anticipation that had seemed imbearable. The thought of being able to date and drive seemed only just a few months of simple waiting but it was excrutiating. After my birthday I thought that it would be so exciting and that the days would be filled with trips places with friends and that the weekends would be fun also but these thoughts were crushed after about a month. With my birthday in the middle of the summer I thought that things would get better after school started and they did but things weren't as I had first thought. Why do people think so much about turning 16 when it's really not that big of a difference? I have talked to many people about this and they've told me how they thought it would be. Their thoughts were very similar to mine. Sixteen is not as cool as it's all cracked-up to be. I think that teens before they turn 16 just get really excited to be 16 because after all the years of being told they can't do these certain things before being this age are feeling that they can do something that's be forbidden. This feeling of empowerment is rather overpowering so they want to use it to the full advantage. After the initial couple of weeks of feeling like they can do anything they want the full reality sets in: getting older just sucks.