Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This Before?

Breaking news: Adulthood is a scam.

Remember when you couldn’t wait to grow up? Yeah… same. Turns out, being an adult mostly means googling how long chicken lasts in the fridge, obsessing over your daily protein intake, pretending to understand taxes, and getting excited when plans get canceled. If you're in your early twenties and still riding the high of "I’ve got this whole adulting thing down" enjoy it, truly. Soak it in. Because somewhere between grocery runs and nodding through virtual meetings like an NPC with no will to live, I started missing the days of scraped knees, cartoon marathons, and annoying my parents just for fun. Growing up isn’t all bad, but let’s be honest, being a kid had an effortless kind of joy we didn’t know we’d miss.

Back then, life felt simple. Your biggest dilemma was choosing between running around outside with your friends or watching whatever cartoon happened to be on (no streaming, no rewinds, just blind TV roulette and the eternal hope your show hadn’t been randomly taken off the air). Summer break felt like it lasted six years, and the only rules that existed were the ones your parents invented on a whim to make their lives easier, like "no swimming after eating or you’ll explode and die" (a little melodramatic, but childhood trauma builds character, right? Said no one ever), or "if you swallow gum, it’ll stay in your stomach for seven consecutive years and grow into a tree" (a weirdly specific, universal lie every kid somehow believed). Strangely, there was something comforting about it all. No deadlines, no bills, no mental tabs constantly open. Just curiosity, imagination, and the glorious, guilt-free joy of doing absolutely nothing. But enough nostalgia, because somehow, I always find myself rambling like I’m part of a babbling, bumbling band of baboons (a painfully specific HP reference, ‘cause if you know, you know) before finally getting to the point. But hey, that’s just me trying to keep things interesting enough for yah to stick around. And I really hope it’s working.

Now, back to adulthood, that shiny dream we all grew up chasing. Freedom, independence, calling all the shots. And sure, those things are real… they just tend to show up in between emails, endless errands, and the kind of brain fog that kicks in right after your third cup of coffee. Which (finally) brings me here; to the part no one really warned us about. The things I wish someone had told me before I found myself all grown up, mildly confused, and well… winging it most of the time. So, consider this your unofficial welcome kit to adulthood (even if it’s arriving a little late). Here's a handful of truths no one really tells you about being an adult, but probably should.

Hard Truth # 1

No one actually knows what they’re doing. Seriously. Everyone’s just nodding through life with a half-smile and a calendar full of reminders. Just stay calm and carry on, you’ll figure it out, step by step, day by day. It’s messier than expected, but strangely worth it.

Hard Truth # 2 

You will not want the same things in five years. And honestly, thank goodness. The person you were five years ago had different dreams, different playlists, and probably a questionable haircut. You’re allowed to evolve. it’s called upgrading hello!

Hard Truth # 3

Doing what you love doesn’t always pay the bills. And doing what pays the bills doesn’t always feel great. But there’s usually a silver lining, you just have to squint hard enough to spot it.

Hard Truth # 4

Your back will hurt. You won’t know why. You just stood there. That’s it. That’s the injury. Respect your body, it’s doing its best to keep up with the baggage you’ve picked up (emotionally and from IKEA too).

Hard Truth # 5

Rest is not a reward. 

It’s a necessity. Waiting until you’re "done" to slow down is how burnout quietly moves in and sets up camp.

Hard Truth # 6

Being busy doesn’t mean you’re doing well.

You can be booked, scheduled, and exhausted… and still feel completely stuck. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stare at the ceiling, and who knows, maybe even make peace with the cracks.

Hard Truth # 7

Healing doesn’t look like yoga and green juice.

Sometimes it’s crying in bed for hours, saying no without writing a whole essay about it, or finally unfollowing someone who makes you feel small. It takes time, effort, and possibly ten boxes of tissues. Be ready to do the work.

Hard Truth # 8

Friendships and relationships take work and they’re not always going to look like they did in your early 20s. People move, get married, grow apart, or go full ghost mode. You’ll learn to appreciate the ones who stick around, even if it’s mostly through memes, reels, and voice notes. The friendship might stretch or bend but it rarely breaks.

Hard Truth # 9

Laundry is endless. And somehow, the socks still go missing. 

Not a metaphor. Just one of life’s great, unsolvable mysteries. Learn to let go.

Hard Truth # 10

No one is coming to save you.

You’re it. Loneliness can sneak in even when you’re surrounded by people. Learning to enjoy your own company isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Bonus Truth (because adulthood rarely plays by the rules anyway)

Growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s choosing peace over being right. Sometimes it’s walking away. Sometimes, it’s just showing up again tomorrow, bones aching, spirit a little bruised, but body still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah).

So no, adulthood isn’t quite what we imagined. It’s a strange mix of spreadsheets (yuck) and emotional spirals, meal prepping and mild panic, moments of clarity followed by three hours of nonstop scrolling. But somehow, we make it work, with to-do lists we create for moral support but never actually follow, group chats that keep us sane, and the art of doing our best, one semi-functional morning at a time.

No one has it all figured out. And honestly? That might be the most comforting part of all.

So...Whatcha think of this blog post? Short? Sweet? A little unhinged? But you’re still here, aren’t you? Probably holding it together with coffee, sarcasm, and questionable optimism, just like the rest of us. So I’ll take that as a win!

Catch you in the next one. Over and out.