The technical definition of “grown-up” (according to Merriam-Webster) is no longer young: fully grown: like an adult.
This definition basically explains that you get taller, so naturally I googled what “adult” meant.
Adult is defined as fully grown and developed: mature and sensible : not childish.
Okay.
Great.
Except, one problem, I am still a child.
I’m turning 25 this year…
The older I get, the more I learn. Here are a few things that I have discovered along the way to greatness, things nobody ever tells you about growing up.
- You have to make your own appointments for things. It’s not difficult by any means, but it’s new territory. This was always moms job, ya know?
- Laundry. You have to actually do it. You can continue to keep your clothes in your hamper for a week, but nobody is going to come and fetch them for you.
- Making friends as an adult is way trickier than making friends as a kid.
- Same goes for finding relationships. You can’t chase anyone on the playground, or stick notes in their locker, or frolic at a fraternity mixer anymore (I mean, you certainly can, but I think that’s pretty frowned upon…). As a grown-up, you have to actually put in effort to meet someone. Like trying online dating (Tinder doesn’t count here) or dog walking or grocery shopping. Adults can actually go to bars to ask people out on dates, not just drink all of the alcohol.
- You have to buy your own groceries. This means sometimes saying no to all of the lunchables and capri-suns and yes to necessities like bread and good toilet paper. Although, you’re an adult now, so you do you.
- With said groceries, you now have to start making your own food. I’m perfectly happy putting cereal in a bowl or grabbing a granola bar or cookies, but that’s not enough sometimes. If you’re budgeting, then you seriously can’t eat out all of the time. Pinterest recipes will become your friend.
- Our bodies aren’t what they used to be, especially after our undergrad years, so unfortunately, we have to attempt exercising. I have pretty much zero endurance at this point, and absolutely no tolerance for running. So I use workout DVDs. Like an adult from the 80’s.
- Taxes. Bills. 401K. Insurance. Loans. Oh my. Where was adulthood 101 in college??
- Getting sick as a kid means staying home, watching movies and eating chicken noodle soup. While technically you can still do those things as an adult, most of the time getting sick as a grown-up means sucking it up and going on with your life. Obligations or whatever.
- Going back and forth between deciding what to eat for dinner or going to graduate school in Timbuktu (because of course all of your options are irrelevant to each other).
- Getting a job and realizing that SCHOOL NEVER PREPARED YOU FOR REAL LIFE.
- Hangovers become increasingly more painful. We simply cannot keep it together like we used to.
- There are so many random things you have to pay for as an adult, and it hurts.
In short, I’m not entirely sure of the direction my life is headed, but I’m getting there. Life doesn’t always go as planned but that’s just a part of growing up.
I know that with all of these struggles and in figuring out what the heck I’m doing, I have the support of my family and friends. It’s important at some point to think seriously about the decisions you make and how they affect you. It’s a good thing to mature and think like your age, but I also believe that part of growing up is never completely losing the kid inside of you.
I have a lot more to learn, but hopefully if you’re reading this, and you’re younger than me, you’ll start studying now.
Adjusting and figuring out what not to do when it comes to adulting? So far, so good.
So far, so good. 