Holy Shit I'm a Grownup

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Out of my closeknit circle of irl friends, I'm still the baby of the group lol. One of them is turning 20 next year, the other is turning 19 this year and I just turned 18. So I'm probably just an adult on paper right now tbh lol though college and last two years has helped me mature somewhat

I guess the things that make me realize it are
  • I can vote now. I can actually contribute to which leaders would be chosen for my country, leaders that would bring changes and affect us for years in the future.
  • Financial responsibility, though I'm still not working ofc. I budget my food money, personal supplies allowance, commute fees, school supplies fees, misc fees and it's... actually not as easy as just putting things down on my planner.
  • My parents don't really have a say or a tight control like before on when and where I want to go out with my friends now (though ofc within sense). Unfortunately, I really still suck at traveling or commuting by myself...
  • The idea of traveling and moving places is beginning to excite me, though I'm not the most adventurous person at all lol. I enjoy new sights and experiences, and I'm not as afraid of doing this now...
Other things that aren't necessarily 'grownup' (for me):
  • I've learned and grown more empathetic over the last two years than I have ever really been before that. Listening to other people talk about themselves and getting to know them is a rewarding experience for me. ^^
  • I have a better sense and intuition for interpersonal relationships now, especially if it's as an observer. When I look inwards at myself and my own relationships I'm still not the brightest, apparently, but
  • I know when to back down from debates or arguments (most of the time), and I know to keep a level head. It's why I'm the mediator among groups of friends, because I'm often the most neutral (or someone who's less likely to take sides). And surprisingly, my longest-time friends told me that it's always been a part of who I am. I only realized this not too long ago, lol.
 
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  • I grew a human.
  • I understand what it means to sacrifice so much for someone that will probably never understand.
  • A few months ago a teenager said "when I grow up and get older I want to be just like you".
  • I have no patience for immature youngsters.
  • I've said "ypull understand one day when you have kids" st least 10 times this month.
  • I can't wat burgers everyday and still remain 120 lbs.
  • I actually have to work to stay fit >:C
  • I am sooo food at shopping the sales!
  • Im now the one that has to kill the spider and I'm no ready for that!
 
Money
-I budget my money and put away as much as I can into savings so I can purchase a living creature to keep me company for a decade.
-I adjust my work schedule not around what's convenient, but around what's going to make it easiest for me to set aside money and afford everything I want.
-I'm the one people turn to when they need something to get them to payday because they didn't budget.
-I've let my parents borrow money.

Now I'm still in the neverland called college, so my parents take care of most of my bills. However, I am taking on my own utilities in the summer, and I'm prepared to do so while also getting my pet.

Appointments
-My mother hasn't made an appointment for me in almost a year.
-I found my own living place and simply told my parents where I'm moving in the summer.
-I prefer phone calls to texting to set up ANYTHING. Nothing is good over text. Too much miscommunication and not half as immediate as I want. I don't want to wait for someone to look at their phone again. One, immediate conversation.

Advice
I've always been the "mom-friend," but it has taken a whole new level. I have technically been in work longer than my mom has, if you just look at the last decade. She asks me how to deal with coworkers. I'm people's boss. People ask me all the work questions AND I HAVE THE ANSWERS (which is slightly scarier. Can't tell them to as the bigger boss).

People come to me for relationship advice regularly which is kinda scary.

I always think about the "what ifs" and therefore am prepared for it... So people know that they can ask me if they need pain medicine or... something feminine.

I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting that Brovo can tell me about.
 
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Other than going to a job I love and having the money for games and shit I like? Filling my freezer with food I like.....and the gray/white hairs on my head.
 
I found grey patches of hair already.

I reprimand these youngsters like an older person would.

Getting too old for certain shit.

I have arthritis everywhere.

I look forward to naps.

I have a hard time getting up the stairs and tire easily from physical activity.
 
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When your 90's grunge clothes come from storage, not the store.

"I can't, I have work tomorrow."
 
When you come home and say "I've adulted enough today" Then go and do nothing for the rest of the day.
 
A big one: when you go grocery shopping and you are proud of the choices you made.
 
I live in a predominantly Asian community in Southern California. My hometown has more Asians by percentage than any other race. I speak Chinese frequently, and in fact in our area it's almost expected of second-gen kids (children of immigrant parents) to speak their parents' native language.

To give a bit of context, it's common in Chinese honorifics to respectfully refer to strangers by names typically meaning family relations. For example, a child or a teen commonly refers to adults using the Chinese words for "aunt" and "uncle" even if they're not related.

I went most of my life being referred to as some variation of "sister." Either 妹妹 (mei mei, meaning little sister) or when I was older, 姐姐 (jie jie, meaning older sister).

My day of reckoning came at a Coldstone Creamery, of all places. I'm standing in line, and this youngish mid-30s mother is tending to her daughter who is at the ice cream counter with her face practically against the glass poring over all the flavors. She rushes back to get in line, and her mother promptly reminds her to let the nice 阿姨 behind her go first because I was already in line.

阿姨 means aunt.

And I mean I smiled respectfully at the time, but inside my brain was screaming at me like SINCE WHEN WAS I RELEGATED FROM SISTER TO AUNT!? ;__;

That day still haunts me.
 
I could die in my sleep and it would be weeks before anyone was bothered enough to find the body, in my bed, chewed on by cats... I would be buried under a dead name I have rejected, wearing clothes I despise.

On the plus side there's no one else on the WIFI, I can leave things in the fridge without them being stolen, I spend most of my time at work anyway and I get to sleep in when I'm not and dance around the house naked...
 
When your 11 year old sister sends you chain mail and your have to explain to her she wont die in the middle of the night by some ghost if she doesn't send it.
 
Anytime you take care of children(usually your own) without getting super stressed
 
I'm in that area where I'm out of High School, in college (not at this exact moment, but I did graduate a program and am working at going back) so I get a number of adult expectations, responsibilites etc.
But I'm still staying at home and don't have a job, so other stuff like dealing with shitty bosses, paying bills etc isn't on my plate yet.

So at this precise moment? It's basically all the benefits and none of the cons... WHICH IS FUCKING AWESOME!!! <3

But obviously that sweet deal will run out one day... And hopefully when that day comes I can remember my kid side and not fall into the "All work, no play, all about the high income and prestige" trap.

So basically the list right now looks like:
  • No more "just a kid" excuses with misbehaviours
  • No such thing as curfews and such... Though honestly this stopped for me back in High School, so I don't really see this as something adult specific.
  • Not everyone is going to find being loud and silly cute any more, some people will get genuinely annoyed at people 'goofing around'
  • Talks with friends for stuff like a trip of Japan can be entertained and have it actually be possible in a few years time.
  • Elections are now stuff I'm actively involved in, not just hearing about it on TV.
  • Stuff like "What do you want to do?" loses the 'when you're older' comfort, so there's a much more immediate demand.
  • I have a cousin I'm almost 20 years older than... Which used to be (and sometimes still is) the age difference between parents and their children.
  • When you haven't been to the dentist or doctor in over a year
  • When your main method of transport is public transit, and the majority of the time that I'm in a vehicle with a parent I'm the one whose driving.
 
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