When Did You Feel Like You Were An “Adult”? 20tastic: Advice for Millennials by Millennials
I’m excited to present the first installment of 20tastic: Advice for Millennials by Millennials post. This feature on simplykymtastic.com isn’t just advice. It’s a sign that you’re not as bad at adulting as you think you are.
This month’s question…
“Even though I’ve been married a few years and have lived overseas since graduating college, feeling like an adult came to fruition in a horrible feud with my own mother. I had been staying with her while visiting home, and there was a huge argument, resulting in me buying my first car IN MY OWN NAME, like, not even my husband co-signed it for me. I was 23. It was the first time I made a decision all by myself, and I didn’t let anyone stop me from doing it. I have something that’s mine! It took me being 5 years past eighteen to stop letting my parents influence me to do what they wanted and to just do what I want. Since then, I do whatever I want, literally. As selfish as it sounds. I’m as grown as I want to be ;)”
“I felt like an adult around 16 or 17 years old when my mother moved out and was doing her own thing. I was mostly home alone and maintaining a household. Not necessarily from a financial aspect, but day to day tasks such as cooking and cleaning. Maintaining the household after graduating high school really hit me especially when I received my first car. I was in full swing of working, paying bills, and taking on more responsibility.”
“Honestly, it was when I had to start making appointments for myself that I was like “Woah, wait a minute, ABORT MISSION! I don’t wanna do this anymore.” I know I’m not the only one who almost lost it the first time my mom told me to call the eye doctor myself and make an appointment. I’m realizing more & more, as I continue making my attempts at “adulting”, that even adults learn as they go. It’s a way of life. So I’m probably about 85% of the way there on the adult scale- Still a ways to go, but not far off. LOL”
“It didn’t dawn on me until recently that I was officially grown. Not the “oh I’m older” type of grown, but the “I handle my business and take names later” type of grown. If I was to truly put my finger on it, 22 was the year of me growing into my grownness (and yes, I know it’s not a word!). I had officially finished my first post-undergrad job and was gearing up for a move to NYC. I was learning how to be more #TeamIkeia after playing so much for #TeamEveryoneElse. It was also the year that I realized that I was more likely to check my email than my text messages and keeping a planner for my life was absolutely essential if I wanted to stay on top of my game.”
When did you first feel like you were an adult? Take a moment to share your experience in the comments?
Interested in having your voice heard? Click here for your chance to be featured in next month’s 20tastic: Advice for Millennials by Millennials.
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I am in my mid 30s, and I still don’t feel like a real adult! Yes, I go to work, live on my own, and pay my bills, but I still feel like a kid who is pretending to be an adult. Maybe I will feel like an adult when I buy a house.
I understand that! I’m always calling my mom for advice.
I would say also when I started setting my own appointments and having to fork the bills for those. When you had to keep up with your own medical records. Yep! Adulting all the way!
Making appointments was so scary for me. Going to appointments by myself is even scarier!
Nice article for people like me. Great article. keep it up!
Thank you so very much!
Love this. It’s crazy how we cross that bridge from kid to adult without even realizing it. For me there was no one moment where I felt myself go from kid to adult, I just suddenly realized I was there and was like whoa, how did that happen?!
Right! I got the idea when I was talking to one of my co-workers. I didn’t really notice until I started paying bills.
About to turn 20 on the 13th and definitely not feeling like an adult! Feeling scared going into my twenties, but excited.
Lauren @ Celestial Livin
http://celestiallivin.com
Turning 20 is exciting. My twenties didn’t hit me until I was 22. You have some time to adjust. Happy early birthday also!
I am 31, have a House, husband, and baby and there are still days I don’t feel like an adult.
That is something to be proud of. That is a lot of responsibility and I’m sure you’re doing just fine.
i don’t think i have felt like adult haha, everytime being and act like a child xD :))
I started feeling like an adult when I was in high school and got my first job. I had to give so much of the money earned to my mom.
Thank you for sharing. That’s really mature of you to be able to do that at such a young age.
I left home when I was 17 and thought I was an adult. I feel like an adult when I have to be if that makes sense. I like to have fun and be silly, but when it is time to do the adult things and be responsible, that’s when I feel like an adult.
That makes sense. It’s all about balance.
I think I felt like an adult when I moved from NZ to the UK – being so far from home really helped me to really take responsibility for everything! x
That’s a big move. I just moved from my hometown to a city an hour away. I was already living on my own prior to moving, but the move made everything feel so much more real.
I felt like an adult shortly after I got married. We got pregnant about 2 weeks after the wedding, made a military move across the country and my new husband was deployed shortly after. Talk about being thrown into the adulting fire, lol.
haha… It all happens so quickly!