 |
Written by Rachel. Photo by Isaac S.
I have officially been in the adult world for a little while. Not all that long, but I do have several years of adult life behind me. And…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 wondering 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, too. It’s not that you have to get a job. No, having your own place to live, which you are financially responsible for, and making your own decisions about what to eat everyday can be an adventure.
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 your hard-earned money on things you wish you didn’t really have a need for in the first place. I mean, who really wants to wash dishes, iron clothes, and scrub bathtubs? No one, and it’s an extra insult to have to pay for the privilege of doing such household chores, but once you’re an adult, there’s no getting around it. Household necessities 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, movie tickets, 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 and replacement bags for my vacuum cleaner. It’s an inevitable part of life, but I think the advantages of being grown up help make up for it.
I was wondering 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, too. It’s not that you have to get a job. No, having your own place to live, which you are financially responsible for, and making your own decisions about what to eat everyday can be an adventure.
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 your hard-earned money on things you wish you didn’t really have a need for in the first place. I mean, who really wants to wash dishes, iron clothes, and scrub bathtubs? No one, and it’s an extra insult to have to pay for the privilege of doing such household chores, but once you’re an adult, there’s no getting around it. Household necessities 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, movie tickets, 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 and replacement bags for my vacuum cleaner. It’s an inevitable part of life, but I think the advantages of being grown up help make up for it.
What do you think is the worst part of growing up?
|