18 Harsh Realities You Unexpectedly Face When You Realize You've Become An 'Adult'

Thanks to things like bills and early mornings, growing up sounds like it may suck. But at the times when it kind of does, just remember: You're not alone.

No one's living college life anymore, and if people are, they're probably screwing everything up.

Absolutely all of us go through this transitional period, and all of us come out on the other side. Sh*t gets real, and you have to fend for yourself. But, it's all about baby steps.

So, don't be sad and don't be scared. Know that everything is normal, and once you make a few teeny changes, you'll be a happy member of functional, adult society.

Here's what you come to realize.

1. Home maintenance is a thing.

Well, this was a revelation. Refrigerators do not magically replenish themselves, laundry is just not just folded and put away and there isn’t a toilet paper fairy. Unless you have a great roommate.

2. Random waves of homesickness are real.

Sometimes you will just miss your bed and your mom. You will feel utterly pathetic in these moments. You may or may not have cried randomly in the street.

3. High phone bills are a thing that you now pay for.

When you're no longer on the family plan, you'll find you actually turn off data roaming when you travel.

4. You can totally fight with people no matter how far away they are.

Sure, you're all grown up, but your mom can still reduce you to tears and you can yell at your dad for hours. Somehow, it is entirely possible to hate every member of your family, despite not having seen them for two months.

5. No one cares about your birthday.

This is a sad, but true reality. Your friends who show up hate you. Your parents' genuine excitement, and obligation to make a huge fuss for you on this day, is something you will miss for sure.

6. Hangovers last for days and they feel as though the world is ending.

Your stamina is gone, your ability to wake up functional is lost forever and you gag when you think of vodka, four days after drinking. Farewell, going out on a Tuesday.

7. Life is expensive.

You kind of hate your law and finance friends for not relating to this, but between rent, utilities and food, you get panic attacks each time you check your bank account. Suddenly, essential purchases cannot be made together. Metro card or new underwear. Never both.

8. You still call your dad when you don’t understand something.

Which, it turns out, happens regularly in adult life... because what is a 401K, and why does everyone have one? Similarly, why is someone asking you to fill out a tax return and is it bad you missed the deadline date to return it? Will the IRS get you... wait, what do the IRS even do?

Solution: Speed-dial dad.

9. You are free, in every sense of the word.

It's a toss up: amazing to be free from judgment, but you have to look after yourself.

10. You are an adult, but you still feel the need to inform your family on everything.

And not just the big things. Like, you call your mom for no other reason than to tell her you're just getting on the subway or that you're tired. Despite being nowhere near you, you still expect her to have the answer to everything, including: "Where are my keys?"

11. You actually like your siblings.

It's a shame you hated them when you lived under the same roof. Literally, it took moving town or even crossing an ocean to discover this.

12. Seamless doesn't taste as good as your mom's cooking.

Sure, there are options and, sure, you can eat as much as you want. But when you're on your third night of Thai leftovers, this is less appealing than it initially sounds.

13. You don't like to party.

You just want to sleep. Freshly washed sheets are something you not only notice, but look forward to. Bed at 8 pm sounds like the dream.

14. There will come a day when you realize everyone you know is married, engaged or pregnant.

And they are more than happy to utterly destroy your news feed by publicizing this. While you are home, alone and the most single you have ever been. When the waves of nausea hit, delete every single one of them.

15. If you eat sh*t, you will get fat.

This sounds fairly obvious, but our fabulous metabolisms in college meant we hadn't quite grasped this concept. Adulthood = time to hit the gym. Pizza is not a food group.

16. You have about three friends.

And three facts to accompany them: You have no time to see them. There are rarely parties where you see everyone in one big go. You kind of hate at least one of your three friends.

17. You actually do have to pay tax.

That first paycheck with a huge chunk of money gone was a nasty shock, right? For some reason, you thought this day would never come. But now you're bitching about the taxman and talking about public services and healthcare with your friends.

18. You really don't care about the little things.

Your friend bitches about you? Don't care. You weren't invited to a party? Whatever. Bad haircut? Still hurts, but less than it used to. One of the nicer parts about growing up is knowing what matters and what doesn't, and it's so liberating to have the petty things just fade away.

Photo Courtesy: We Heart It