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Growing up is hard. Ask my fellow millennials who time and again dwell on childhood nostalgia by rewatching Harry Potter too many times to be considered appropriate for an adult, and flushing away the anxiety of the grown-up world with iced mochas.
Gen Z’ers are also resistant to becoming adults, and you may wonder why. While people tend to put blame on the way these generations are, researchers point out that it’s not a developmental stage; it’s the economy.
There’s even a corner of Reddit titled “Adulting,” dedicated to those who’re “actively trying to be more of an adult.” Created back in 2015, the community is sharing anything from tips, victories and questions related to the complex world of adulthood and trust me, it sometimes feels like a work of art.
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#3
Michelle Line 2 years ago
Especially shoeboxes. I have to go thru my "stash" every once in a while and take them out to the recycling bin. They always seem to be good to have to store misc stuff in, but I rarely do.
There are plenty of reasons why some people don't want to grow up. For some, it's the fear of responsibility and the unknown. For others, it might be the comfort of childhood and the simplicity of life. And then there are those who just don't want to let go of the carefree days of youth.
No matter the reason, it's perfectly understandable why someone would want to hold on to their childhood for a little while longer. After all, growing up is hard work. And who can blame someone for wanting to take a break from all the adulting?
Others are doing the exact opposite and trying to find ways to grow up sooner and embrace their adulthood. The truth is it takes a lot to be a responsible, independent adult. It’s a good idea to start by accepting that adulthood is not perfect and that there will be ups and downs along the way.
Another way to embrace your adult self is to not wait for someone else to make you happy – focus on finding joy in your own life. Taking responsibility for your own happiness is quintessential. At the same time, learning to manage your finances, the earlier the better, is very important.
The last tip may sound pretty boring, but you’ll thank us later. Being proactive about your health is a must. Try to improve your diet, add exercise in your life, and get regular checkups. Adulthood is the time when you realize that there’s nothing more important than your health and wellbeing.
#7
Lazy Panda (she/her/hers) 2 years ago
Pretty sure it was an extrovert masquerading as an introvert.
#9
Deborah Harris 2 years ago
Then you have Rose and Jack on a piece of floating wreckage.... there was room for both of you!!!!
Having said that, researchers have noted that youth these days seem to delay their transition to adulthood. According to Nancy E. Hill, a developmental psychologist at Harvard University, it has more to do with being able to transition to the workforce than the perceived apathy of youth.
“Young people reach adult milestones later when jobs that lead to financial independence are scarce or require additional training. The well-paying manufacturing jobs that were abundant in the 1950s did not exist in the 1890s. In the early 1900s, the U.S. transitioned from a largely agrarian economy to an industrialized one, and many young adults moved from rural to urban areas in search of modern industrial jobs,” she explained in The Atlantic.
#12
3 Owls In A Coat 2 years ago (edited)
Good. There’s no reason for this anymore in 2022. (And don’t come at me with “oh yeah but men are more _____ and ____ than women, and women will probably be on their periods or something and women can’t pick up heavy boxes while pregnant so let’s not pay them properly) or whatever the current argument is. Just no 😊)
Having said that, Hill argues that young adults are not less mature today than in the past. “Neither are they necessarily more self-centered. A new developmental stage is not necessary to account for the extended time that many youth need to make the transition to adulthood,” she argues.
“Our findings tell us something important: When young adults take longer to achieve the markers of adulthood, it is not that something has changed about them; it is that the world has changed,” Hill concluded.
#18
Michelle Line 2 years ago
I was just thinking earlier today how I'd talk to my friends on the phone for hours when I was a kid. What in the world did we talk about for so long? Now I only answer the phone if it's my boss or a call I'm expecting.
#21
#22
Danish Dynomummy 2 years ago
I thought I was the only one getting excited over this...my SO keeps telling me I am lol
#23
Where’s The Shovel? 2 years ago
My biggest realisation/adult moment was that the teaspoon I threw in the sink last night is still there in the morning.
#25
Octavia Hansen 2 years ago
I don't remember the exact date and time when I went from "OH, BOY! The PHONE!" to "Damn, what now?" Haven't been excited about the phone for years now . . .
#26
When You Have A Big Project At Work But Choose To Reorganize Your Desk, Clean-Up Your Email, And Perfect Your Voicemail Greeting Instead
I luv scuba diving! 2 years ago
Lol. Like, during the weekend, I start doing something I've been meaning to do. But I get side-tracked on so many tangents that at the end of the day, I find I never finished what I originally started out to do.
#30
3 Owls In A Coat 2 years ago
I haven’t raw dogged some shuteye in way too long, I relate to this :(
#32
3 Owls In A Coat 2 years ago (edited)
Yup. Grew up with a friend that became a 2nd grade teacher at age 27 and she parties HARD, I’ve personally dragged her home at 2am like “you have to hang out with a bunch of 8 year olds tomorrow, you need your wits about you ” hahaha (before some of you start picking this apart, she’s fantastic honestly, definitely handles her business at all times and is very professional but just likes to live her life on the wild side)
#34
#40
Lazy Panda (she/her/hers) 2 years ago
Having a healthy attitude just means thinking to yourself "At least this'll make a good story later" when something goes wrong.
#41
Luis Gomez 2 years ago
White boomers went to college for the price of an orange and were given a house for the price of a pineapple.
#42
Enlee Jones 2 years ago
Been there, done that. Now I’m mad at myself for throwing away perfectly good Tupperware.
#44
Deborah B 2 years ago
I recommend building a blanket fort and ignoring reality.
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Gabby Ghoul 2 years ago
I think the best years of my life might very well have been ages 5 through 8.
Starhawk Hunt 2 years ago
I do not want to adult. I want to Goat. I want to jump around randomly, eat what I want, and headbutt anyone who annoys me. My Capricorn heart in a small nutshell.
#45
Octavia Hansen 2 years ago
I don't know how my parents did it . . . 3 kids and no where near as many appliances as today. Yard work, cooking and laundry must have been continuous!
#46
#47
Daffodil 2 years ago
Yes. Especially with the god-damned American school system. I know the meme's not about America specifically, but since I'm American and don't know what it's like elsewhere, I can only speak for myself. But the schools here just teach you how to make someone else richer, to conform, to work in a factory, and not to collaborate with others. I mean, there's hardly any other time in life outside of school that you'll be in a situation where you can't collaborate with others, so why not encourage it in school? They don't want you to succeed, they want you to conform. Anyways, fun rant :(
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What do you think ?
May light defeat the darkness 2 years ago (edited)
Me at 45: 20 years more before retirement. I can at last get paid to rest and stay at home! Canadian Government: Gen X, your retirement age is at 70.
Cathy Lemay 2 years ago
I thought it was 67....or is that just for us "late boomers" ? Never mind it's still the stuff of poverty unless you're pensioned at work or married to someone who is.
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Jennik 2 years ago
I guess adulting is a bit like any other skill - no-one is perfect at it. I've been with my partner for nearly 36 years, we own our own home (well, the bank still owns a chunk of it), we have an 18 year old heading off to uni next year, I'm reasonably expert in my specialist area and have been in my current job for 12 years. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. BUT... I'm still too scared to learn to drive so don't have a license. BTW I'm not saying doing all these things defines you as an adult - just that at face value it makes me look quite grown up (once I even got the yukky bits out of the plughole with my BARE HANDS).
zovjraar me 2 years ago
hey, you make me feel good about learning to drive at 20. here in USA, most people are learning at 14/15. if you can live without it, don't judge yourself. :)
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Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 years ago
I'm officially scared to grow up. I already was but yeah.
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
Oh, adulting isn't quite that bad. Of course, I'm on the far side of it now---70 y.o.---but I did work for 52 years, have been driving for 58 years (parents taught me at the age of 12), have had, and lost, two children. Was married, but been happily divorced for over 40 years, and don't plan to go that route again. There's been a ton of stuff over the years, some of it really awful, like when my children died. But for the most part, it's been a good life, and I look forward to more of it, no matter how little might be left.
May light defeat the darkness 2 years ago (edited)
Me at 45: 20 years more before retirement. I can at last get paid to rest and stay at home! Canadian Government: Gen X, your retirement age is at 70.
Cathy Lemay 2 years ago
I thought it was 67....or is that just for us "late boomers" ? Never mind it's still the stuff of poverty unless you're pensioned at work or married to someone who is.
Load More Replies... Jennik 2 years ago
I guess adulting is a bit like any other skill - no-one is perfect at it. I've been with my partner for nearly 36 years, we own our own home (well, the bank still owns a chunk of it), we have an 18 year old heading off to uni next year, I'm reasonably expert in my specialist area and have been in my current job for 12 years. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. BUT... I'm still too scared to learn to drive so don't have a license. BTW I'm not saying doing all these things defines you as an adult - just that at face value it makes me look quite grown up (once I even got the yukky bits out of the plughole with my BARE HANDS).
zovjraar me 2 years ago
hey, you make me feel good about learning to drive at 20. here in USA, most people are learning at 14/15. if you can live without it, don't judge yourself. :)
Load More Replies... Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 years ago
I'm officially scared to grow up. I already was but yeah.
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
Oh, adulting isn't quite that bad. Of course, I'm on the far side of it now---70 y.o.---but I did work for 52 years, have been driving for 58 years (parents taught me at the age of 12), have had, and lost, two children. Was married, but been happily divorced for over 40 years, and don't plan to go that route again. There's been a ton of stuff over the years, some of it really awful, like when my children died. But for the most part, it's been a good life, and I look forward to more of it, no matter how little might be left.
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