One unfortunate trend I’ve seen steadily growing across social media platforms is the use of the term “adulting”. Those who utilize this term in their posts use it to describe “grown up” activities that require using a bit of every day common sense and independence, such as paying rent, getting to their 9-5 job on time, or doing their own laundry. While the term may be new, the lifestyle it defines is not. If you’re looking for some real world synonyms for “adulting”, give these two a try: independence and responsibility.
It’s completely acceptable to be proud of yourself for successfully tackling a busy day at work, or accomplishing a tedious list of chores and errands that you didn’t believe you’d be able to complete in a single day. However, when I’m seeing daily posts boasting about how someone “adulted” today by waking up early, paying a few bills, and cleaning their house, it’s obvious that things are being taken too far. Having a generation of kids who grew up with gold stars and participation trophies handed to them for doing the bare minimum has resulted in a group of young adults who feel as though they deserve special recognition for completing everyday tasks. This may come as a shocker, but there are many of us out here who do our own shopping, clean our own bathrooms, and manage our own appointments and don’t feel the urge to brag about it online, or even brag about it in general.
What’s up with this sudden urge to be congratulated for regular or even boring life requirements? Come on now, it’s not that hard to schedule or drive yourself to an appointment, go to work, or buy your own groceries. Suck it up and quit being dramatic about things that are everyday responsibilities. You may have grown up with mommy and daddy holding your hand, giving you spending or gas money, and filling out all of your personal paperwork, but it’s about time you accept that “adulting” activities are not a hip new stage in life, but a requirement for being a successful individual.
Don’t get me wrong here, I’m far from being a completely independent adult. I’m not saying that the minute the clock strikes midnight on your 18th birthday you need to submit to a life of complete independence, either. I regularly turn to my parents for both monetary and cognitive support, but I definitely don’t rely on them to provide me with one of their credit cards, schedule my day, or check up on me to make sure I went to class or work. Part of growing up is tackling new challenges, many of which may seem foreign or scary at first, but there’s immense satisfaction in knowing you can provide for yourself and take a significant amount of, if not complete, control in your life. So by all means, give yourself a pat on the back for landing that new job or internship. Realize and be proud of that fact that you’ve come a long way from the child who expected their parent to cook, clean, and do their laundry for them. But please, I beg of you, stop using the term “adulting”. You’re not unique for figuring out how to iron and fold your own clothes, you’re just growing up along with the rest of us.
