What do you envision when hearing the word "adult?" Likely someone happily eating a salad, juggling a billion tasks, or trudging to work in an uncomfortable suite, but you probably seldom picture yourself as fitting the description. After a few birthdays however, you realize that you've actually started becoming the one thing you never thought you'd be--a grown up. While the symptoms of adulthood vary, here are some tell-tale signs that could indicate your journey into adulthood has begun.
1. Cooking--and getting excited about it
Hot gossip used to be about Becky’s new boyfriend, or who was caught doing drugs in the school bathroom. Now some of the most exciting news to you is that Trader Joe’s is having a sale. The initial euphoric freedom that came from the ability to eat ice cream for breakfast has faded, and has been replaced with a prideful boasting of how you “made this from scratch!”
2. “Running errands” is not only a term you understand, but use
When you were younger and heard your parents say they were “going out to run errands,” you usually just accepted it without legitimately understanding what in the world they were doing for three hours. Now it’s one of the top three phrases in your vocabulary, and your go-to response when your friends ask what you’re up to.
3. Spending money on boring things
Toilet paper. Frying pans. Soap dishes. Vacuum cleaners. The list of household items you need seems to never end, and you’re dishing out money at every turn. Gone are the days when you could blow your paycheck on a new video game or that dress you’ve been wanting.
4.You check your e-mail more than once a week
A few years ago, if someone asked for your e-mail you would’ve looked at them like they’re crazy. Now you find yourself checking your e-mail once a day at the very least, and if you aren’t waiting for an e-mail, you’re constantly sending others out.
5. Cleaning isn’t (as much) of a chore anymore.
All of your mom’s complaining and groaning about your dirty room is starting to make sense now. You’ve finally become acquainted with the satisfying feeling of having a clean house, and you’re actually willing to put in some elbow grease to get it
6. Saying what you mean
Life’s taught you many lessons, and one of them is that you have to be straight-forward and direct to get what you want. No more metaphorical language or subtle hinting, because you can no longer afford to spend time pretending that you mean one thing when you really want the opposite.
7. Realizing you have way too much stuff
Moving out of your parents house was not only a pain--but made you realize that you probably don’t need an entire drawer full of notes written in middle school. Organization is your new best friend, which means you need to get rid of a lot of junk and let go of some stuff, even if it means saying a teary goodbye to your childhood teddy bear.
8. Having more than one bank account
That one checking account you used to check frequently to make sure you could afford a cheeseburger is no longer riding solo. You either have multiple checking accounts, one checking account and one savings account, or all of the above.
9. Couponing
When growing up, you may have rolled your eyes when your parents bought generic brands or added water to the dish soap to make it last longer. Oh, but the tables have turned. You’ve become a master at hunting for the best deals, comparing prices, and you may even find yourself saving some of those coupons you get in the mail.
10. Home decor makes you happy
Ikea i your wonderland, and matching colors are unbelievably important to you. You could spend hours looking through home decor catalogs or browsing different types of coffee tables. Not to mention the time spent sifting through endless paint tablets because you simply can’t decide between “Soft Green” and Forest Green.”
11. The true meaning of “free time”
Staying in, lounging around in your pajamas, and catching up on the latest Netlfix show sounds like a dream to you. Going out to a club or party feels like extra effort and you can’t imagine a better night than one spent relaxing on the couch with just a few hours away from your hectic life.
12. Knowing when to let loose
The best part about being an adult? Knowing how to be a kid every once and a while.
