Remember how excited you were about adulthood as a kid? I looked forward to staying up all night, watching R-rated movies, and never eating broccoli again. Adulthood can be pretty sweet, but it also comes with boring responsibilities, like figuring out how to paying taxes and remembering to change your Brita filter. Life was just much easier when I had other people to take care of things for me. Now, I'm supposed to be the dependable adult. When I saw "Signs You're A Real Adult" trending on Twitter, I had a feeling it'd be scarily relatable. Some of the tweets are admittedly pure, like one that says you're an adult if you "admit fault when fault is yours."
Most of the tweets are just depressing, though. I recently read an article about things you should do before you turn 30 and realized my future is grim. I don't want to run marathons or learn a new language, but these are things that people who are good at adulting prioritize. My retirement fund has $900 in it, which will allow me to retire approximately one week before I drop dead. There are benefits to adulting, but it's okay to take time to wallow, and these tweets give us a chance to do so by reminding us why adulthood kind of sucks.
1You Worry All The Time
I used to get so annoyed with my parents for making me check in with them, but now that I'm aware of all the awful things that happen in the world, I worry when I don't hear from my loved ones. One of the downsides to growing up, I guess.
2You Wake Up Super Early
This one hurts. I assumed I'd grow out of my hatred for mornings, but I still very much hate waking up early. Unfortunately, adulthood affords few opportunities to sleep in.
3You Start To Realize Your Own Mortality
Okay, this is morbid. I can't say I've encountered this, but as you get older, you start to accept the inevitability of death. It's not a bad thing, but it's also something most of us don't face as children.
4Most Of Your Purchases Are Boring
When I was a teenager, I dreamt about spending leftover money on extravagant vacations. Instead, most of my fun money goes to repairs and bills.
5You've Lost All Holiday Cheer
Remember when December meant presents, holiday movies and getting a week off from school? Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays, but I'm currently preparing to spend a ton of money on my loved ones and traveling home for Christmas.
6Your Wishlist Is Depressingly Practical
When someone asked me what I wanted for my birthday as a kid, I filled the list with toys and electronics. My wishlist this year includes new prescription glasses, foundation primer and gift cards to buy new clothes.
7You Go To Bed Super Early
I looked forward to the day I'd go to sleep whenever I wanted, but now I hate staying up past 11 p.m. Going out with friends requires serious strategizing and lots of caffeine beforehand.
8Checking The Mail Is Anxiety Inducing
My sisters and I used to argue about who would get to check the mail — it was a privilege. Now, my husband and I avoid our mailbox as long as we can because we know we'll only have junk mail and bills.
9You Realize The Value Of Money
If someone would've offered me $100 when I was younger, I would've been shook. Today, I'd probably put it toward my cellphone bill or car insurance. It's a snooze-fest.
10You Grocery Shop On Your Own
I didn't realize how much I relied on my parents until I took my first solo grocery trip in college. It took me over an hour to get through my list, and I FaceTimed my mom because I didn't even know what I needed.
11You Have To Deal With Hard Situations
I used to hate it when my parents would tell me that I was too young to participate in a conversation, but now that I'm included in most family discussions, I kind of miss the days where I didn't know much about what was going on.
12You Don't Have Anyone To Carry You To Bed
Unless you've got a particularly kind partner or roommate, if you fall asleep on the couch, no one is going to carry you to your room. Sad.
13You Dread Going Out
My friends and I used to live for our weekend plans. We'd count down the days until sleepovers and trips out of town. My days off are now reserved for running errands and as little social interaction as possible.
14You Avoid Responsibilities
If you come home and have food waiting, count yourself lucky. When I lived alone, I'd regularly decide whether I was more hungry or tired. Sleep always wins.
15You Care About Your Credit Score
I finally checked my credit score for the first time the other day, and now I'm in a panic to get it higher. When it goes up, it'll definitely be more exciting than television premiere.
16Your Food Choices Become Logical
I used to make faces at the thought of eating cereal from the healthy aisle, but then my doctor told me I needed more fiber. Is having marshmallows as part of my breakfast too much to ask?
17You Have To Stop Subtweeting
When I was a teenager, I'd subtweet pretty much anyone who wronged me. (If you're not familiar with subtweeting, it's throwing shade at someone on Twitter without directly naming them.) The great thing about being an adult is that you have the maturity to use the "@" symbol, but you also have to deal with the consequences.
I wouldn't trade the independence of adulthood for anything, but I definitely miss those innocent childhood days. When I hear a kid say they can't wait to grow up, I let them know it isn't as easy as it seems — but it's still pretty great.
