Anyone new to the adult world could attest to the fact that adulthood is not always easy. It brings on a multitude of new responsibilities and worries that could send anyone's stress levels through the roof. Adult life can be intensely overwhelming, so I've compiled a list of some common struggles that new adults know all too well.
1. Getting a Job
Unfortunately, life requires us all to have this thing called "money." So, most of us are forced to find a job that may or may not make us want to jump off a bridge. And we all worry from time to time, What if this is it? Well, it's not, but it's really easy to get caught up in a routine and think that you're going to be stuck in the same place forever. The majority of people in their twenties do not have their dream job, and if they do they're just really lucky. Comparing your life to someone else's is never helpful, so don't. Focus on yourself and relax. The future will work itself out.
2. Where did all my friends go?
Now that you and all your friends have jobs, it's a lot more difficult to find time to get together and hang out. Work makes you tired, so you're starting to choose how you spend your free time more wisely. You mostly want to spend it sleeping, or doing absolutely nothing. But when you realize it's been a month since you last saw your best friend, you know you have to start making time for them. Most people are super busy in their twenties, so it's not as easy to just jump up and go do something, and that's understandable. Real life is not like what you see on TV, most people do not have a crowd best friends that they hang out with on a daily basis. Real people have to work, and friends come and go, but the ones who matter will always be there.
3. Stress
You thought you knew what stress was when you were younger, but by now you should have realized that you were entirely wrong. Apparently, when you become an adult stress decides to follow you around like a puppy that comes and goes, often for no reason at all. A little stress is a good thing, but it can get overwhelming. Everyone deals with stress, you can handle it. Just stop and take a breath or a drink.
4. Life is Messy
There have been many times when I thought the adult world was making me lose my mind. Forgetting things becomes the new reality when you're an adult. It's really hard to have it all together when you've got so much going on. You're not the only one who's locked your keys in your car a few times this year, lost a couple of your debit cards, or really embarrassed yourself in front of a bunch of adults who have already learned how to "adult." Don't worry, I had no idea how to use a fax machine either.
5. The World Isn't a Big Happy Place
It seems like the older you get, the more horrible things you learn about the world. If your parents did a good job of sheltering you, you may find it shocking that people really do the bad things that you see in all those crazy movies. There are actually crazy people in this world, and once you're out on your own you have to learn to watch out for yourself. It can be scary when you realize that not everyone is good, but it's a good thing to know.
6. You Can't Trust Everyone
Be more careful with whom you put your trust in. Not everyone is good. Make sure the valet guy is really "the valet guy" before you let him drive off in your car.
One more thing...
Being an adult can be extremely overwhelming, but time will make you better at it! It's so easy to stress about wasting time, or to feel like you're missing out on so many things because there is so much going on. The truth is, you have more than enough time to figure it all out. Slow down and take it all one step at a time. Don't try to conquer everything at once because that's how things get messy. Age 20 is not the peak of life, and you are not expected to have it all together right now. Relax, breathe, and know that you are not alone in your struggle with adulthood.
