Adulthood seemed like such an alien concept as a kid. No one really took "growing up" too seriously because, as far as we knew, we would be children forever.
Boy, did that harsh reality hit hard. In the blink of an eye, I had graduated high school and was moving on from the only life I'd ever known in pursuit of something new. I don't know at what point I began to start feeling like an adult, and let's be real, there are still days I'm fully convinced I am not and never will be an adult, but there are also times when I'm aware of what growing up has changed in me. Here are a few signs that you might be growing up, too.
1. You realize there's more value in the quality of your friendships, not the quantity.
Growing up, it was the norm to shift around a few different cliques, whether you fully enjoyed the company of those people or not. The best advice I have for that is to graduate - then you'll find out who your friends are. I learned that pretty quickly. True friendship stands the test of time, and those surely are to be valued - the friends who have seen you at your absolute worst and still choose to hang around for your best.
2. The need for a job extends far beyond wanting to stay busy.
In high school, the only reason I had a job was to begin building employment experience and to have a little pocket change when I wanted to spoil myself. Now, in my twenties, I need a job to pay the bills and keep myself fed. I work all the time and I'm always broke. There's not a whole lot of time for play. Welcome to Hell - I mean adulthood...
3. Time spent alone is time well spent.
I always thought that I should hang out with my friends every chance I got growing up. Now, I realize that there is value to be found in having time to myself, conforming to no one without the dread of having to keep someone else entertained. You can learn a lot about yourself when you're the only one around.
4. You crave a routine.
In highschool, I didn't really have much choice in what my schedule looked like. My days were pretty much planned for me Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The freedom weekends brought usually were havoc, given that I'd stay up until sunrise and sleep until noon because there were no rules. Besides, come Monday morning, I was my mother's problem again and it was back to the routine. However, now that I'm an adult, I crave a steady routine throughout the week to keep my head on straight and yes, a routine even on the weekends to an extent. There's no one with me all the time now to remind me to behave and take care of myself. I have to Mom-friend myself and be responsible.
5. You realize growing up is painful.
Perhaps this what they meant about growing pains? By now, your world has extended far beyond the familiar, and your sense of life and culture has (hopefully) grown with it. But, this also brings with it the sometimes painful reality that you have changed (probably for the better, though). Life is no longer as simple as it once seemed.
So, yeah. as kids, growing up was a wild concept, but it somehow crept up on us all. We can either dwell on it or embrace it. Adulthood is what we make of it.
