JUST WAIT
a gentle-ish request to stop threatening people with their own lives
These two words, when given as pseudo “advice”, and I hope you can hear my tone through the screen, immediately piss me off.
If TikTok has taught me anything, it’s that all of my seemingly “original” experiences are actually just very common parts of girlhood. So can we talk about the phrase “just wait”? I’ve heard it my whole life, and I’m sure you have too. But as I continue into my 28th year of life, it’s only getting louder.
To reminisce…
Just wait… “until middle school. Your teachers won’t be as nice as we are.”
Just wait… “until high school. You’ll really find out who your friends are.”
Just wait… “until college. You’ll have to figure out how to manage your time.”
Just wait… “until you get a real job and real bills. College doesn’t last forever.”
Just wait… “until you’re married. You’ll never have freedom again.”
Just wait… “until you have a baby. You don’t know tired yet!”
Just wait… “until you have more than one kid and have to balance!”
We’re simultaneously being told by the people ahead of us to over-anticipate what’s next — and more than that, to fear it. Pardon my French, but I’m so f*cking tired of the threat of new experiences. I’m so tired of being told I don’t know what’s coming and probably won’t be ready for it. I’m so tired of being set up to think I’m living in the peak, to dread getting older, and fear the unknown instead of being encouraged to walk toward it.
The other night, I was reading my latest nightly fiction book and came across the dreaded phrase: just wait. Usually I can’t read the words without rolling my eyes. Except this time, it wasn’t delivered the way I always hear it. I’m so used to the sarcastic, ominous version that it actually stopped me. I reread it, sat with it, and tried to rewire my brain to understand the context.
The two main characters (love interests) had spent an extended period of time apart but were texting about finally seeing each other again. It went something like:
“Are you going to be excited to see me later?”
“Just wait.”
(paraphrased immensely, but you get it)
And for the first time, those words felt… exciting. Anticipatory. Full of something good. Not daunting.
That tiny exchange is what sent me into this spiral over two very simple words that, lately, have felt loaded in every other context. I couldn’t help but wonder… (if you know, you know) what if instead of threatening the future, we encouraged each other toward it?
What if we lived in a world where “just wait” always meant something good was coming?
One of my favorite quotes is: “If you can’t do it brave, do it scared.” Think about the things you’ve done that actually made you better. They were probably uncomfortable. Risky for sure, even a little terrifying. Nothing worth having ever came easy, and no one gets to practice life and live another when they’re “ready.” Everything is new, unknown, and sometimes, yes, scary.
And if you want the truth… That’s kind of the point.
Do it scared. Do it before you know what you’re doing. And do it before it’s the “perfect time,” because that doesn’t exist anyway.
And dare I say… just wait.
Wait for the risk to pay off. Wait for things to surprise you. Wait for the excitement of meeting the version of you on the other side of whatever you’re nervous about right now.
And most importantly, when you get the chance, encourage the person next to you to do the same.
Be the person who makes “just wait” sound like something worth looking forward to.
xo
