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40 Bitter Truths About Being An Adult That Usually Don’t Cross Teens’ Minds, As Pointed Out In This Viral Thread
When you're a kid and a teenager, the idea of adulthood can seem like a promise of a brand new world full of thrilling opportunities and all sorts of amazing things. You finally get your well-deserved freedom, there's absolutely nobody to tell you what to do, you can create and live your life however you want and, most importantly, you finally have the liberty to go to sleep whenever you'd like, right?
In reality, once the long-awaited adulthood finally visits, stuff tends to get a tiny bit more complicated, and this AskReddit thread with over 74k upvotes is the perfect proof of that. The thread was started by the user u/berkel-is-a-madlad who asked fellow community members "What is something that sucks about being an adult that most teenagers don’t realize?" With that being said, Bored Panda invites you to look at some of the best answers we managed to find. As always, feel free to answer the question yourself in the comment section.
More info: Reddit
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#1
For me it's watching my parents get old.
As a teenager I thought they were all about keeping me restricted and controlled. Now I realize they're just two people who never had a kid before, did the best they knew how, and fu**ed up at times like all other humans on the planet.
I never realized how much I needed them emotionally until I saw my father through his open heart surgery, and saw Parkinson's take my mother's independence.
So here I am still feeling like a teenager on the inside, staring down the barrel of 50, wondering what the hell happened.
BastWren 3 years ago
Here's a good lesson, then. Tell your parents that you love them now, rather than after the fact when they are gone and won't know. Even with their faults (we all have them) try to appreciate them for who they are. Keep in mind that they will not be here forever; life is ephemeral and one day (whether through accident/illness, etc., or due to age) they will be gone, often suddenly. I realize that this doesn't apply the same for people who have parents from hell...I mean for everyone else.
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#2
Planning dinner every damn night.
hyperunknown 3 years ago
Our everyday struggle - "What do you want to eat today?" - "I don't know" - "Me either" .. Not the worst problem in the world obviously but still :p
#3
You don't fundamentally change, you are still you, even if you are older. It's the same you, you just need to survive in the adult world.
You don't gain adult powers, you just have to do adult things.
Happi doggi 3 years ago
It’s like when a girl gets her first period. Does she suddenly have infinite information about it? No, she just has to figure it out and survive having it every month for the next 50 years.
#4
You can do whatever you want, but most of the time you either have commitments that prevent it, or you can't afford it.
#5
One day your body will betray you.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Getting hurt in your 20s means actually doing something that screwed up your body. Getting hurt in your 50s: you slept wrong.
#6
Being lonely. Making friends as an adult is difficult, sometimes verging on impossible. You don't see people in your age group who are doing the same things you are every day anymore.
#7
You are always cleaning the kitchen
#8
You come home from work and you're tired and if you don't feel like making dinner, then you're not eating dinner.
#9
The repetition makes you lose time. Having the same job, workout regimen, schedule in general makes days blend into one another
Edit. Thanks for all the replies. I just want to point out I didn't mean life becomes boring. I was just talking about lack of those major separators we had as children like summer vacation, new school, your first kiss, etc. Due to those major separators missing I don't recall if I did something a year ago or 3 years ago. It's a little blurry if something happened 2 weeks ago or 4 months ago. This is because once you have a career and a home you're doing a lot of similar things most days(work, chores, cooking, hobbies, etc). This is why the days start to blend into one another, at least in your memory.
#10
When something goes wrong or something unexpected happens, there’s no one else to deal with it.
Plugged toilet? You gotta clear it.
Car outta gas? You gotta fill it.
Run out of clean undies? You gotta do laundry.
From small things to massive things, there’s no one to make it go away but you.
#11
That ordering food is actually expensive and your parents weren’t lying to you
#12
There’s never enough time for all the things you need to do. Definitely not enough time for the things you want to do
#13
Life revolves around grocery shopping, preparing food, washing dishes, doing laundry, vacuuming and tidying up. It does not stop, don't let it pile up for the weekends or else you waste your weekends stuck indoors.
Alcohol is not your friend, it does not have the answers you are looking for, and usually gets you in even more trouble. Drink with friends to celebrate, don't drink alone in silence.
#15
When all the cliches that used to piss you off start making sense and meaning something, but you can’t explain it to younger people because they haven’t lived that life experience yet.
Helen Haley 3 years ago
As I age I just find those cliches more and more reductive and less helpful.
#16
People expect you to know what you're doing.
#17
Each day is desperately short. Work consumes 75% of the time you’re awake. And the time you’re free is spent doing chores and being tired. Hobbies slowly cease to exist and you just start to look for quick escapes.
#19
Dental care. It’s so damn expensive if you let your teeth degrade. Please floss my dudes.
smugdruggler 3 years ago
Yeah, if I could go back in time and give myself some advice I would say "look after your teeth and take care of your back".
#20
Forgetting your age is a real problem. The only people who remind me how old I am are my kids, and i often have to double check. I used to ask my parents how old they were and they always "cant remember" or said "21" and it confused me. I get it now.
What do you think ?
Kari Panda 3 years ago
Adult life comes with a lot of responsibilities and challenges, but I find this post paints a too dark picture. You can still have happiness as an adult and can find fullfillment in things you gave no thought about as a teenager.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
I agree. In HS and even college I was always busy after class with essays, examns and so (and housechores). Once I started working I was sueprised of how much free time I had. Yes I needed to do more chores than before but after work I had a lot of time. And while I didnt have a lot of money I had some and independence.
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Rens 3 years ago
I became disabled and chronically ill at 46, from walking 4 miles a day for fun, to being in a wheelchair within a week. I've had to come to terms with the fact that there are so many things I will never do, or do again. I never appreciated my body and my health until I became ill and had to medically retire. Don't put things off like taking a course or following a dream because your life could change in an instant. I am well educated, hard working, intelligent and kind; I had a mental health breakdown, was made homeless twice through no fault of my own, and had to start my life over from scratch; it can happen to anyone.
GoddessOdd 3 years ago
I am so sorry for your troubles. I learned this too, first, when I was a little kid, and we went from comfortable middle class to homeless because my father abandoned us. Then, plenty of health crises over the years. I am now over 60, and working on getting my strength and mobility back, but it gets harder all the time. I am sending you good wishes and all good fortune from now on.
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NsG 3 years ago
Yet another wake up call for how lucky and privileged I am - I'm 41 and I hardly recognise any of the disillusionment present in these posts.
AndThenICommented 3 years ago
I’m not 40 but in my 30’s and I hear you. It’s not perfect but man I don’t see age as a barrier. My partner and I even talk a lot about how at 40 we plan to switch up the hobbies and careers and just have a go at new things. Probably the same at 50
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Kari Panda 3 years ago
Adult life comes with a lot of responsibilities and challenges, but I find this post paints a too dark picture. You can still have happiness as an adult and can find fullfillment in things you gave no thought about as a teenager.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
I agree. In HS and even college I was always busy after class with essays, examns and so (and housechores). Once I started working I was sueprised of how much free time I had. Yes I needed to do more chores than before but after work I had a lot of time. And while I didnt have a lot of money I had some and independence.
Load More Replies... Rens 3 years ago
I became disabled and chronically ill at 46, from walking 4 miles a day for fun, to being in a wheelchair within a week. I've had to come to terms with the fact that there are so many things I will never do, or do again. I never appreciated my body and my health until I became ill and had to medically retire. Don't put things off like taking a course or following a dream because your life could change in an instant. I am well educated, hard working, intelligent and kind; I had a mental health breakdown, was made homeless twice through no fault of my own, and had to start my life over from scratch; it can happen to anyone.
GoddessOdd 3 years ago
I am so sorry for your troubles. I learned this too, first, when I was a little kid, and we went from comfortable middle class to homeless because my father abandoned us. Then, plenty of health crises over the years. I am now over 60, and working on getting my strength and mobility back, but it gets harder all the time. I am sending you good wishes and all good fortune from now on.
Load More Replies... NsG 3 years ago
Yet another wake up call for how lucky and privileged I am - I'm 41 and I hardly recognise any of the disillusionment present in these posts.
AndThenICommented 3 years ago
I’m not 40 but in my 30’s and I hear you. It’s not perfect but man I don’t see age as a barrier. My partner and I even talk a lot about how at 40 we plan to switch up the hobbies and careers and just have a go at new things. Probably the same at 50
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