Birthday benchmarks: What to do on your big day

For those that are 14, it may feel insignificant, but with this age comes privileges one might not be fully aware of. Once one turns 14, one can legally babysit, drive an electric bicycle and go to concerts without an adult.

“I would say there is some responsibility, but not an overwhelming amount since I cannot drive and am not close to going to college,” said freshman Ari Salerno. “I am excited to start driving and be more independent eventually.”

15 years of age marks the beginning of driving responsibilities. Some might take this year of their lives to prepare for the many years of driving they have in their future. Aside from obtaining a driver’s permit, 15-year-olds can finally rent movies. However, in this age of streaming services, renting physical movies is obsolete.

“I had a lot of fun turning 15,” said sophomore Hailey Degnan.

“You don’t feel super old, but you also aren’t the youngest anymore.”

With one’s sweet 16 comes a mountain of privileges, including a real driver’s license and the right to change one’s name. One can work full time if they have left school, one can apply for their own passport with a parent’s consent and one can pre-register to vote.

“Driving is absolutely the best part about being 16,” said junior Kayla Messick. “It has been a major life change for me, and it makes everything so much easier. and so much more fun.”

The middle ground between two big birthdays is 17. This in-between stage offers many new opportunities as one can now drive most vehicles, including piloting a helicopter or plane. 17-year-olds also have the freedom to decide if they want to be a blood donor or enlist in the military.

“My favorite thing is having my license for a year, so I can drive my friends around,” said junior Mallory Moore. “It gives me more independence that way.”

At 18 years old comes another huge milestone. One is now a legal adult and have the right to make decisions for themselves. These decisions can be cosmetic, like tattoos or body piercings, or the choice to vote, purchase fireworks or even win the lottery.

“Being an adult and making my own decisions is my favorite part about turning 18,” said senior Ciara Mangan. “But even better, next year, I’ll be in a different stage in my life.”