When I was younger, I had a very specific image of what adulthood would look like. Spoiler alert: I was wrong. I thought it would be all freedom, independence, and knowing exactly what I was doing. Instead, I’ve found that being an adult is Googling random questions about vague symptoms and fighting with myself over wanting to do everything and nothing at the same time. So in the spirit of laughing through the chaos, here are some of the biggest things I thought adulthood would be like… and the reality checks that followed:
Expectation: I’ll eat whatever I want, whenever I want!
Reality: Yes, I do eat whatever I want… and now my stomach fights me like I just personally insulted it’s mother.
As a kid, the idea of crappy but delicious food for every meal sounded like the dream. Once, when I was like 9 I got in trouble for eating a spoonful of chocolate icing from a Betty Crocker icing tub. I was convinced at the time that when I got older, I would eat chocolate icing whenever I wanted. Which doesn’t sound appealing anymore anyways but even if I wanted to there’s so many calories and no nutrition in order for me to even justify not having a great time. Now, I can probably look at any dairy product and I’m out of commission for two business days. Also, groceries are expensive, cooking is exhausting, and somehow I’m always out of garlic.
Expectation: I’ll have my dream job by 25.
Reality: At 25, I was just proud of myself for remembering my doctor’s appointments and putting on makeup at the start of the day.
Career paths are not straight lines—they’re more like tangled headphone cords. Some days I feel on fire, other days I spiral because someone sent me a slightly aggressive email. And that’s okay! Growth isn’t glamorous 100% of the time. Also, I will die on the hill that year 25 of someone’s life will always be the worst but most transformative. Like it sucks but man it made me who I am in the worst crash course. It’s like that cheesy Wipeout show but without weird humor and just continuously being knocked down…. Ah memories.
Expectation: I’ll live in a stylish, well-decorated house.
Reality: Half my furniture/decor was passed down from family members who said, “You can have it if you move it yourself.” And that’s fine.
Pinterest lied. My home has vibes, yes—but those vibes are: slightly chaotic, mostly functional, and “please ignore the pile of laundry on the chair.” And that’s fine. We’ve been renovating our house since we’ve moved in. And don’t get me wrong, I have aesthetic things in my home but I just haven’t had the resources to completely finish everything. I think as long as you come home and your house feels like yours and a space you can relax in, that’s all that matters.
Expectation: I’ll know how to do taxes, invest, and manage finances.
Reality: Thank god for Google and autofill.
Adulthood comes with a lot of paperwork and way too many passwords. I thought I’d feel confident, but honestly, I still feel like I’m pretending half the time. Can I fill out a 1040EZ? Sure but I don’t understand all of it and what if I have to throw in an extra deduction or something. It’s too involved and I’d rather have the added security of a tax professional in case of an audit.
I also understand investing but on a very basic level. High risk, high reward. How to buy and sell stocks but to me its just like the casino with slightly better odds depending on the volatility of the stock. I was bored by the end of writing that sentence. It gives me a headache and I usually stick with the tried and true investments.
As far as managing finances go, I just do my best to budget and save. I’m not perfect and I don’t value money over experiences so I guess I could be farther ahead but at the cost of what? Our time on Earth is limited and I’m not going to wait until I retire to travel when there’s no guarantee I’m even going to make it. My personal advice is to go out and experience as much as you’re able to when you’re young and able.
Expectation: I’ll have it all figured out.
Reality: I have no idea what I’m doing… but I’m learning, and that counts.
I used to think being an adult meant having answers. But really, it means asking better questions, learning to give yourself grace, and celebrating small wins (like remembering to floss or drinking enough water). I sometimes will even still be confused by people asking me to do things that are adult related. For instance, a few years around Thanksgiving I was included in on a group text for who was going to bring what sides and yes I’m an adult but I wasn’t expecting it for some reason so I was like “Oh wow. Yeah this is something I have to do now” that just never crossed my mind before. I still find things like that shocking.
Also, funny side story: When I had found out I was pregnant with my little angel baby, my first thoughts were “My parents are going to kill me” and “What are my grandparents going to think” …. I was 27, married, and was actively trying to get pregnant lol
Being an adult isn’t what I imagined—but it’s also kind of beautiful in its weird, unpredictable way. I’m still figuring it out, one questionable decision at a time. It is really funny when younger family members ask me about things because I’m confused. Like oh yeah, I guess I have experienced things you haven’t but in my head I’m still in high school or early twenties sometimes. My actions may be of a mature adult with responsibilities but sometimes I just need a reminder.
What’s one expectation you had about adulthood that totally missed the mark? Let’s laugh about it in the comments!
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