​once i’m older

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of someone grappling with the messy, unpredictable nature of growing up. There's a clear sense of past struggles, marked by a feeling of unfairness and a desire to escape difficult emotions. The narrator recalls times when running away felt like the only way to cope, learning lessons repeatedly and crying in the daytime. Yet, even in those moments, there's a flicker of resilience: "I know this feeling passes through." The central tension lies between the hopeful anticipation of future self-knowledge and the present reality of emotional flux. The narrator longs to be "older" and "knowing who I am and where I'm going," but the immediate experience is one of constant change. Each day brings a "different vibe" and "new emotions like an ocean, waves keep crashing," highlighting the difficulty of finding solid ground amidst this internal turbulence. The most striking craft element is the recurring contrast between the desire for certainty and the acceptance of uncertainty. The repeated phrase "I know that they're supposed to" in the chorus suggests a learned understanding that emotional ups and downs are a natural part of growth, even if they're overwhelming. This acceptance, coupled with the acknowledgment that "growing ain't easy," forms the core of the narrator's evolving perspective. Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they capture the universal experience of navigating adolescence or early adulthood. The writing effectively conveys the feeling of being on the cusp of something, yearning for clarity while being buffeted by the very experiences that will eventually shape identity. It’s this honest portrayal of emotional overwhelm and the quiet determination to endure that makes the song’s message so potent.