question for all neo-"hip" people

ok, so let me ask... when, what, and why did you all choose to consider yourselves as hip?, if you werent since childhood.
Here go's for me..
I quit football my jr. year of high school and started working quite a bit becase I was under the impression that hard work pays off, no matter what it was that I did. I started working on the grounds crew at a golf course in my hometown of Ohio. After high school, I started community college and got fed up with spending quite a bit of $ on a cruddy education. I moved out with a couple of buds and went to work at a private country club and realized... hey, I like this so much I want to make a career out of this. I turned to my supervisor, asked tons of questions, worked a lot, and realized this is what I want to do.
I went to school and got a degree in agronomy/horticulture, taking things maybe to seriously... I tend to be an overachiever.
After taking my 1st full time, supervisory job, in a couple years after working tons of hours in a different city and officially being"on my own" did I realize... why am I doing this? I didnt feel it was for me but now Im stuck with it( it does require long hours and not alot of recognition from employers). To say the least, I rebelled, felt lost for awhile, and pretty much had an identity crisis. Some call it a quarter life crisis but I dunno. I started back to school recently but now I kinda feel that college isnt really about lerning things, its about getting through. Maybe I just had to vent and if you made it this far, thanks for reading. Maybe Im overreacting.
When did you realize that you questioned the staus quo and become hip?

 

To be Hip, in the know, is to have knowledge about whatever it is that your into...being a Hippie is a whole other ballgame.

sh

 

Dude, follow your heart, do what makes you feel flushed with joy, and what feels right man!
When you do you'll meet people that are likeminded.
I realised this when I was little, my parents raised me to follow my dreams.
But I'm still finding out what my goal is exactly. But take time just go with it!
And most importantly: enjoy your journey there!

 

iv'e always thought society was lame.... its one giant cult... and i don't want to be a part of it so i attempt to bend

 

Since I was in elementary school. I always felt like there wasn't a point in trying to conform to everyone's ideal of what you should dress like, act like, etc. In middle school I tried to fit into cliques but after a year or so I realized that wasn't me, Now I'm just me and I've been that way ever since. I think being "hip" is just being whatever you are and not caring if other people like or accept it.