Let’s be honest: if adulting were a product, it would have terrible reviews. “Overpriced, underwhelming, and no return policy.” This past week, I lived what felt like a live demo of every grown-up task going wrong. From surprise bills to endless laundry to that one mysterious Tupperware in the fridge—I kept asking myself, is this really what I signed up for?
It started with Monday. I woke up early with the rare feeling of control. I made a to-do list, ate breakfast, and even answered a few emails before 9 a.m. Things were looking up. Then I opened my mailbox. A letter from my electricity provider let me know my “automatic payments hadn’t processed in three months.” I checked my bank account. I had the funds. What went wrong? Turns out, a card update never synced. The result? A late fee and the sudden urge to lie down on the kitchen floor.
By Tuesday, my fridge resembled a science experiment. I had all the ingredients for nothing and nothing that went together. I tried to meal prep like a responsible adult, but midway through chopping onions, I remembered I’d left laundry in the washer the night before. It now smelled like a wet basement. Back to square one. I gave up and ordered takeout, pretending I’d earned it.
Midweek, I faced the Mount Everest of tasks: calling customer service. My internet had slowed to the pace of a dial-up connection, and I needed help. After 45 minutes of hold music and getting transferred five times, the tech finally told me to “unplug the router and plug it back in.” That fixed it. It also broke a tiny part of my soul.
All this, and I still had to go to work, pay bills, answer texts, take care of myself, and pretend to know what I was doing. The truth is, adulting isn’t a single moment where you figure it all out. It’s a never-ending loop of small responsibilities stacked together like an unstable Jenga tower. One wrong move—like forgetting to defrost chicken—and it all crashes.
According to a survey by OnePoll, over 60% of adults admit they feel unprepared for basic life tasks like budgeting, cleaning, or cooking. That statistic made me feel better. I wasn’t alone. And maybe that's the point: no one really has it together. Some are just better at faking it or have figured out systems that make the chaos look cleaner.
By Thursday, I had a minor breakdown trying to assemble a piece of IKEA furniture. The instructions mocked me with their cartoon diagrams. I got halfway through building a nightstand before realizing I’d installed the legs upside down. I laughed so hard I cried, then sat on the floor eating cereal from a mug because all the bowls were dirty. It was a moment of peak adulthood.
What no one tells you is that being a grown-up isn't glamorous. It’s not endless freedom. It’s keeping track of where your passport is, renewing your car registration on time, and pretending you understand your health insurance plan. It's dealing with stuff your younger self never imagined. Like comparing vacuum cleaners on a Friday night. Or feeling irrational rage when your favorite brand of yogurt is out of stock.
But here’s something surprising: in the middle of this chaos, there were moments of weird joy. On Friday, I finally cleaned the kitchen, and it sparkled. I watered my plants. I found a $10 bill in an old jacket. These weren’t epic wins, but they felt satisfying. Real life isn’t always about big achievements. Sometimes, surviving the week is the achievement.
Adulting is a scam in the sense that no one really prepares you for how many little things it involves. But it’s also not all bad. There’s comfort in knowing you're figuring it out one mess at a time. You grow, you adapt, and occasionally, you get to nap on a clean couch with a candle lit and a playlist humming in the background.
So, if your week has been full of burned toast, missed calls, and mild existential dread—congrats. You’re probably doing adulthood just fine.
Post a Comment