I'm now 22 (actually, half way to 23). It's around this time that young men and women start to go places. Many of those in my cohort have graduated, some have gotten engaged or married, and a whole lot of us have either moved into the corporate world or are gearing up to do so. Some have become doctors, others lawyers, some sports broadcasters and others...well, they're still trying to get their game plan down.
One thing I did not expect to come out of my group of childhood acquaintances was a (successful) rock band. When I graduated in 2003, four of the guys from my school were playing in a garage band called Collusion. I think I still have one of their early recordings. I remember seeing a few of them around uni every now and then, but I never really kept up with their music. Then last year I caught up with an old high school friend who told me that the group had now rebadged itself 'Skybombers', and was steadily building momentum. Although their style of music isn't particular my area of expertise, I've tried to keep up with them since. By my count, they've now released an EP, toured Australia and the States (and a fair few other places I'd guess), released music videos and now completed their debut full length album. They even opened for the Foo Fighters on their New Zealand tour.
The scale of all this was brought home to me today when I was out shopping with my cousins. We dropped in on JB Hi-Fi to check out the CDs, and prominently displayed among other well known artists was this release by four people who I had shared classes with, been friends with and occasionally even gotten into arguments with.
All of this made me step back and realise how far we'd come since we were 18. I guess when you're in uni the constant hustle and bustle prevents you from realising how much you've achieved and how you've matured. It's also probably harder when you're dealing with childhood acquaintances; you never really learn to see your high school mates as a hotshot lawyer, trusted physician or, dare I say it, celebrated rock star. But other people do see us as such, and it's reassuring to know that we are moving on and assuming our places in society as something more than just "so-and-so's friend/kid/brother". We're mensches in our own right.
Our ship has arrived and there's no turning back. Hope we're ready for the big time.
And, in the spirit of the shameless plug, here is the latest video from the Skybombers - 'Always Complaining':
