“Prime” by Roan Martin

Enjoy your youth while it lasts”, “you’re still so young”, “being in your twenties is the best time of your life”- most young adults have heard some variation of these sayings from older adults, parents, relatives, teachers, etc. And while the words are usually well-meaning, they can easily come across as anything but that. Transition from college life to adult world is typically portrayed as something that’s super fun and exciting, full of new opportunities and freedom. We’re supposed to enjoy every second of it, feel like “the main character”, embrace being independent; all the things we’ve been taught to look forward to in regard to growing up. But in actuality, most people in their twenties who are stepping into the unknown are full of anxiety and doubt about their futures. Getting a real, full-time job, moving out of home and away from familiar friends, all the while facing the terrifying question of ‘Who am I’ can easily make you want to turn back the clock a few years to a more simple time. Roan Martin’s song ‘Prime’ speaks to all these feelings that early adults feel as he reflects on the new phase of life he’s entering, and how wildly different it is from the familiarity of his childhood.

At the beginning of the song, we are immediately jolted into the fast-paced music as Martin sings “New/So much of me still feels so new sometimes.” It grabs our attention as we hear the first verse wonder about growing up and becoming a new person before we are given the time to figure out who we want to be, with people “turning out to be so good, just not quite what they hoped to be.” There is an unspoken pressure to learn to adapt to the unexpected life you now have, regardless of if it’s what you originally wanted or planned for. The music shifts into a slower, more reflective and melancholic beat dominated by a piano who’s keys match the level of emotional intensity in Martin’s voice and lyrics. He continues to worry about aging, noticing how much he’s changed from his younger years “when eighteen felt so far away”, and how it feels like all his concerns are being brushed aside because he’s in his Prime of life. 

A symphony of instruments crescendo with his realization that this is supposedly meant to be the peak of our lives, our Prime, and yet it’s nothing like he had hoped. Adult life is filled with loneliness, break-ups, and a reluctant acceptance that everything has changed, and will never be like it used to be. In the midst of this moment, he ends the bridge with the simple, yet meaningful words of “I don’t know”, a sentiment of uncertainty that most young adults feel often. 

The lyrics of the second verse are similar to the first, with similar background music, creating the sensation that we are sharing in Martin’s private thoughts, trapped with him in this loop of questions and concerns that don’t seem to have an answer. Regardless of age, the anxiety about growing up and aging is something that everyone can relate to. And if you haven’t experienced it yet, Martin’s emotive voice and the beautiful, powerful musical accompaniment perfectly portrays a taste of it. 

Obviously not all of adult life is terrible. There are some wonderful aspects to growing up and becoming a unique person that you’ve never been before. But it’s easy to get so caught up in the ‘this is my Prime’ mindset, that we don’t allow ourselves or others to embrace the anxieties we will inevitably feel about the unknown of our lives. It’s okay to take time to handle the changes of growing up, especially during the dark or confusing times. And for those who have already passed the young adult phase, take note of Martin’s lament: “Don't tell me it gets worse, let me get through this shit first.” Most young adults already know they are in a good time of life, and when they express their fears or concerns it’s not them taking their current age or phase of life for granted; they just want to be allowed to figure out who they are, at their own speed, without critique. Just because you are in ‘your Prime’, it doesn’t mean everyday will be perfect, wonderful sunshine filled with a Pinterest-board lifestyle. Getting older and embracing your grown up self is hard, and that’s part of life. The beauty of it is to go at your own pace and to allow yourself to feel what you feel, in your Prime or not.