That question was given as an assignment on my first week. I found it interesting so I'm also going to answer it here. Though I would submit a more formal and less opinionated than this one.
Honestly speaking, I don’t know how to answer that question. Society imposed this “rule” that involves connotation of names regarding the stage of life you are currently in—the term girl for a young female, and woman as the term for an adult female; boy for a young male and man for an adult male. Well, the question is, when will you consider yourself as a woman? When will you consider yourself as an adult? Because apparently, not only do these terms appear to be indicators of one’s biological sex. They subliminally dictate what we should do in life and when would we probably be able to do those things in our lives. One great example under that is how I couldn't describe myself as a woman as of the moment for the reason that I am still underage. Regardless of the "rule", I wouldn't consider myself a woman yet because I still depend on my parents. Financially and a little bit of emotionally, that is.
In this age, I can only relate myself to the subject of womanhood in terms of my gender, and in terms of doing what women are stereotyped to do. Like mastering chores at home, being prim and proper all of the time, and all the norms pressurized by the society. (Perhaps we all are familiar to this line: “That’s not how a boy/man/girl/woman should act!”) Declaring yourself as a woman depends on a profounder reason other than age/the time that it’s legal for you to drink, or your mastery in doing the stereotypical expectations. I believe I would only consider myself as one when I'm already matured and responsible enough to practically make my own decisions, look after myself, pay for my expenses, and live in solitude. The essence of independence
