Turning 20 is like turning 19. You don’t get any new privileges out of it like you would with ages 18 or 21, but the day is what you make of it. I used to love my birthday because it was MY day. It was the one day where all of the attention was on me (I disregarded the rest of the people in this world that share my birthday including four of my friends.) This year, the people I spent it with and the experiences I have had meant more.

For my 20th birthday, I decided to create my own project. For every person that we came across I would ask them one of three questions or all of them: 1. What did you do for your 20th birthday? 2. What advice do you have to give me as I turn 20? 3. What do I need to do before I turn 21?

We spent the day traveling through the Seattle area  to acquire these responses. Welcome to our adventure.

Mohammed: “How is your day going?”

Me: “It’s my birthday!”

Mohammed: You look like you’re turning 11!

But, if I were turning 11… would I be buying gas?

Mohammed ran after me to receive the confirmation from my friends. He asked me if he could do anything for me and before I could say no, I remembered the project. I asked him questions 1 and 2.

“When I turned 20, I was blacked out and woke up next to a woman who said ‘I’m having your baby!’ The best advice I have for you is “Any day above the ground is a good day.” He then beckoned me to come into the station with him one more time where he swiped a $25 gift card for me before sending us off on the rest of our travels.   :)

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