The moment you realize you’re well on your way to embracing adulthood is quite a different story for everyone. It often comes as a package deal with graduation, but there are others who have experienced it much earlier.
“Adulting,” although not an actual word, comes with many struggles and obstacles. It’s surely inevitable, but we are left with no choice but to jump through its hurdles. No matter when (or how) adulthood decided to knock on your doors, we can all agree that being one is difficult—and we often wish we could turn back time and shrug off the responsibilities that come with it.
In the Philippines, it’s still normal to live with your family until you get married, but there are brave souls who have decided to live entirely on their own. Of course, there is still the pressure to contribute and actually help out. We all know we are going to be adults someday, but why is being an adult so terrifying?
Responsibilities are endless
You’re a full-fledged adult now, and this means scheduling your own dentist and doctor appointments—and actually going to them alone!There are also the basic requirements you’d need as you go through employment like NBI clearances and UMIDs. And things like taxes, social contributions, insurances, and investments? These are just some of the mundane things you need to understand and manage.
There are also tons of important decisions to make and there are a lot of days when you’ll feel like a kid incapable of juggling them. Everyone else seems to have their life together, while you’re just sailing around, trying to find your place in this world.
Budgeting is a talent
Budgeting your weekly allowance as a student would now seem like a walk in the park. You’re now made to wing it when it comes to financial burdens. It just happens so quickly that you almost have no time to react.
Between trying to help out with the expenses in your household and buying personal necessities, you often wonder how you’ll be able to afford some of the things you want. You begin to realize that being an adult actually comes along with a ton of bills, and that’s burdensome. You need to spend your money wisely to survive the day-to-day grind, pay the bills, and have enough left to store some savings in your account.
There’s never enough time for anything
You need to think of doing the groceries, the dishes, and the laundry, and after all that, you’re so tired that your plan of binge-watching T.V. series has gone out the window. You need to think of the meals you’ll eat in a day and you feel like you have no social life. You go to work early in the morning, spend hours on the commute going there and back, and before you realize it, the day has gone by already. Most of the days look exactly the same and you begin to get bored of the routine, and you still can’t schedule some must-needed “me time.”
Short in the currency of new friends
In college, you make friends easily with your classmates and school “orgmates.” You also meet a lot of people in your extra-curricular activities like sports or theatre. However, having work will make you realize it’s super difficult to form new friendships. It’s also so easy to be the odd one out when you’re starting out in a new company, too.
You are your own manager
You can make your own schedule, plan your own meals, and choose your own job. Basically, you have a say at how your life will actually go, and that’s great! If you want to chase your dreams and do what you’re passionate about, no one is stopping you! You just have to stop making excuses for yourself.
Striving to make a difference
Adulthood also comes with a bloating existential problem, where you are to decide who you are and what you want to become. Your decision affects and inspires those around you, whether you like it or not. What you do—may it be for a living or not—could make for a surprising positive influence. Aside from your usual routine, you can also try volunteering for different causes. Whatever you choose to do in this life determines what kind of impact you’ll make.
It’s no secret that adulthood comes with a lot of struggles, but we must not forget that everyone else felt defeated by it at some point of their lives. The person you look up to once felt nervous and made mistakes, too.
We are all so scared of our future that we fail to realize that the people around us are treading their way through adulthood as well—all at their own pace, all in their own unique way. Learning never stops, and no one is an expert at life. “Adulting” is daunting, but boldly taking charge also has its upsides.
There’s going to be a load of stress and tons of responsibilities, but get above it and learn to ride the wave, and you’ll get to witness great opportunities and wonderful experiences unfold before you. But word of advice, it’s best to just dive in headstrong and make it happen!
