As I sit here on my best friends laptop, listening to her playlist called “i’m a pre-teen girl. deal” - which hosts songs featuring Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers, Camp Rock, and High School musical - I smile, unashamed, jamming to these young pop songs, singing along to all the words.

I am 21 years old. Emily (who owns this playlist) is 21 years old. Another bestfriend of mine named Meghan Foster is almost 21 years old and she is the reason I am a tween-for-life. She has worked at Justice since she was 16 and when we were seniors in High School, our friendship blossomed. I started working at Justice, watched Camp Rock, fell in love with the JoBros, Selena, Miley, Demi. And three years later? Still loving it. It’s youthful. It’s clean. It’s something like home. And I love it. 

What I love most though is that I can be 21, listening to these wonderful dollfaced singers and be a pre-teen with my bestest friends. No judegement. No shame. I can jam with the ones I love the most and the ones that love me the most and be completely happy pretending we are eightyearsyounger than we are. 

It’s one of the most beautiful things about my life.

It’s silly.

But that’s why it’s beautiful.