Adulthood: The Plot Twist

Remember when we thought adulthood was like levelling up? We had big dreams: unlimited chocolates, no bedtimes, and total control of the TV. Being an adult looked amazing in the 90s! Our parents always seemed to be calling the shots, so we naturally thought, "Just wait till I'm in charge!" Fast forward, and here we are — the adults we wanted to be, and honestly... where’s the refund line?

First off, no one told us that our grown-up version of “unlimited chocolates” would mean a strict budget and snacks labelled “high fiber” and “low sugar.” And we thought staying up late was the ultimate freedom. Now, if we stay up even 30 minutes past bedtime, we’re groggy zombies swiping coffee cups like it’s the answer to world peace. Not to mention the betrayal that is grocery shopping. As kids, the store was a wonderland of chocolates and chips; today, it's where we budget, compare prices, and Google "health benefits of organic food." Talk about false advertising!

And don’t get me started on the career fantasy. Our days sold us a dream that every adult went to work, came back with a big smile, and magically had enough money to buy all the things. Today’s reality? We work to pay bills we don’t remember signing up for, spend our money on laundry detergent and electricity, and barely recognize half the things in our Amazon carts.

Then there’s the heartbreaking truth about “no school.” In childhood, we thought escaping homework would be pure bliss. No one told us that adulting comes with emails and “self-assigned” to-do lists that never end. Ironically, we’re always learning something new — taxes, insurance, what to cook for dinner — but there’s no break. Just an endless cycle of responsibilities.

So here we are, reminiscing about our childhood when our biggest problems were choosing between VHS tapes and surviving the suspenseful load time of dial-up. In a world of instant everything, we miss a time when life was deliciously slow and full of surprises. Maybe we just long for that feeling of freedom, spontaneity, and the endless possibilities we felt every time we stepped outside.

Growing up hasn’t quite lived up to the hype.

Happy Children’s Day y’all ; )