Ask Lemmy

When my dad died. I was 46. My mom had died 7 weeks before. I realized I had no one to turn to anymore and I was at the top of the trouble ladder. I wasn't stoked about it. I'm still not.

I remember the exact moment. I had just got a Home Depot gift card from my in-laws and my first thought was, "I'm going to buy a really nice hose"

Cashing in pennies so I could get enough gas to get to work and pick up my check... To pay for more gas

I'm old so things were a bit different...

When I was growing up, adults were Mister and Misses. When Mr. Jones became Jack and Mrs. Smith became Barbara it was an indication that I was an adult.

The first time was when I accidentally cut myself with a new knife while trying to chop a cabbage. Thankfully due to quick reflexes, it wasn't a serious cut, but I remember for just a split second that old childhood instinct of looking around for the adult kicked in... right before I remembered I was the adult, and was the one in charge of the situation.

After that I just got myself plastered up and was groovy. Still have the scar to this day to remind me of my green nemesis.

When I was excited about buying some mundane thing for my house, like a toaster oven or chair.

Had to buy toilet paper. That shit magically appeared when I was a kid.

Back in 2014, I got my own apartment, and realized that I am now responsible, not only for feeding myself, but also keeping a roof over my head, I need insurance and need to pay for utilities.

I remeber that I cried a bit when my parents left after having helped me move, then I walked to the shops and bought a steak and made dinner...

While hiking for one of the first times as an adult, I remember going to the local school and, upon seeing the school and having to remind myself I was done with school days, thinking "wow this feels weird, it's like playing the post-story of a video game".

I clogged the toilet and it overflowed at an apartment I was sharing during a college internship. I panicked and yelled for my roommate. My roommate took care of it by toweling it all up, mopping, and such; I watched him do it all, horrified.

Afterwards I realized what a shitty thing it was for me to a) not clean it up myself and b) not even help. I grew up a lot that day.

Sometime in the past ten years, my doctors started being younger than I am, and I'm still conflicted about it.

Getting a pet. I moved out of my parents' place in 2009, but bringing home a cat a few months later felt like the first big adult decision I had made. I had pets before, but they were family pets so my siblings and parents all had a hand in taking care of them.

But the feeling of "this is a living thing and it's relying on me to keep it alive" was an entirely different thing.

I’m 31, home owner with a husband, 2 kids and a cat. I still don’t feel like an adult and I don’t know if I ever will!

When the centerfold was younger than me.

When i realized "there are no adults" (as a child would define it, of authority)... only children, peers, and those lusting for power.

Having a baby. When I became responsible for another human, I really felt like an adult for the first time.

Managing my family's finances after my dad and grandpa passed away

I'll let you know when I hit that milestone. I still feel like a 13 yo.

I was very young when I thought I was an adult. I was wrong and got in trouble for sassmouth but I definitely thought I was an adult at like age 7.

To give a serious answer, though, probably at 15 when I had a real, legal job and a car and stuff. I grew up fairly poor and was already just an independent kid. I had been earning money mowing lawns and refereeing soccer and stuff. But once I could legally work, I got a kitchen job and childhood was over pretty quick. At that point, I sort of was an adult. I lived with my mom (because I legally had to) but I had car insurance bills and a paycheck and shit. I had to do taxes. I couldn’t wait to turn 18 and not need my mom’s signature for things.

I know that’s weird but some kids are just like that. I remember when we all went to college, I was so ready to launch that it came as a shock to me when some of my friends were homesick and confused.

Getting excited about vacuum cleaners. Oh and some nice produce at the local grocery store.

Mostly my job. I'm in healthcare and make life or death decisions on a regular basis. Was 28 when I started and am 32 now. I very regularly have the feeling like "who allowed me to get into this position". And lately, I've started teaching which adds a whole other component.

I'm a grown ass man but that doesn't make me an adult you... You poopy pants!

The moment I realized that no one. Anywhere. Has any idea what they are doing.

I started putting mustard in things.

...mostly on food to be specific.

When no one else took care of me when something went wrong.

When starting to compare prices of food, looking at deals etc...

[off topic]

Kurt Vonnegut said that at some point he realized that the people he'd gone to high school with were running the world.

Voluntarily turning the heat down to 65 in the winter.

An actor I was instructing in stage combat called me as Combat Dad.

Moving into my own apartment mainly.

But also: politicians and other celebrities being younger than me.

(I mean of course Justin Bieber is younger than me and has been a celebrity for a long time, but that used to be the exception, now there are so many.)

The pint of ice cream in my freezer that I take tiny bowlfuls of on occasional evenings. After all, I deserved it.