SOCIAL MEDIA

07 June 2012

The Worst Thing about Being Grown Up


I have officially been in the adult world for a little while. Not very long, but I do believe that I now have some experience of it. I don’t think being grown up is quite all it’s cracked up to be when you’re a kid, but at the same time, there are certain advantages, such as being allowed to get married, and not having a bedtime or curfew (instead,  you get to choose to go to bed at ten o’clock).

I was thinking to myself, what is the worst part about being an adult? If I could prevent myself from experiencing, for the rest of my life, any aspect of adulthood, what would it be? The definitive answer came to me rather quickly. The worst part about being an adult is not that you have monthly bills for water, electricity, and housing. It’s not that you are now responsible for making sure the housework, yard work, and cooking gets done at appropriate times, for the autonomy involved in that can actually be fun. It’s not that you have to figure out car insurance and Secretary of State Offices and taxes. It’s not that you have to get a job—although, truth be told, I’ve never had a full-time job, but people tell me they aren’t the worst thing in the world. No, having your own place to live, which you are financially responsible for, and making your own decisions about what to eat everyday is rather fun.

No, the worst thing about being an adult is buying toilet paper. Or ibuprofen. Or scrub brushes, dish soap, ironing boards, bleach, textbooks, and socks. There’s just something a little sad about spending money on things you wish you didn’t really have a need for in the first place. They are by far the least exciting thing to spend your paycheck on, but you can’t live without them. Yeah, I think I’ve discovered the worst thing about being an adult.

Of course, this may just be me. When I was in high school, and worked odd secretarial and babysitting jobs for my cash, I only had to spend my money on the fun stuff—like dresses, jewelry, snacks, and birthday presents for my siblings. My parents bought all the necessities of life. Now I go to the grocery store and buy oatmeal and laundry soap. It’s an inevitable part of life, but I think the advantages of being grown up help make up for it.
deanna@delirious-rhapsody said...

to me, the worst thing about being a grown up in realizing that your body is aging. my husband and i took his sister and our boys to an amusement park last week. i'm not even 30 yet, but i could tell a vast difference in how my body could tolerate roller coasters as opposed to only 6 or 7 years ago.

Rachel said...

Yeah, I don't think I've quite got to the "aging" part yet, but I also do not handle roller coasters the way I did when I was a kid either. I went to Cedar Point for my honeymoon, but I let my husband go on many of the big roller coasters by himself!

Unknown said...

Hey you're still young, embrace it lady!!

xo Shane

Allison said...

adult life...so true about the bills-but it becomes second nature-). I think the hardest part about it is striving to please Christ only rather than everyone else in the world...love the farm house by the way!
-Allison
sweatpantshighheels.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Toilet paper is the one of the annoying things to buy. Napkins I believe is another one. Being an adult is fun. I guess if we just buy toilet paper in bulk then we wouldn't have to go through this emotional issue as often. -Angel

Nicole said...

Great post! I love your way with words -I really enjoyed reading!

Rachel said...

Thank you so much! I love to write, and it makes my day when other people actually enjoy what I write!