It is interesting that when we are young we wish to be older. We want more responsibility, more power and more freedom. We want to be able to do what we want on a Friday night or stay up late when we have school the next day. We want to spend our money freely without any cares in the world. Most of these things only fall upon our shoulders as we grow older and become adults. At what age are we expected to have grown enough to reach adult status? 16? 18? 21? 26? 30?
When I was 16.
I remember when I had turned 16. I was just barely old enough the drive, much less pay for my own gas. Who has enough money coming in to drive a pickup truck at age 16 anyway.
I had finally gotten my first cell phone. In my family, we got our first cell phone when we could drive so we had it for emergencies. That doesn’t mean we weren’t allowed to use it for texting or calling friends, but the primary purpose was for safety.
Oddly enough, at 16 I was old enough to date my (now) wife as well. Well, she wasn’t my wife at the time but became my wife a few years later. I wasn’t permitted to date until I could drive which makes sense. Who wants their parents coming with them on their date? Other than financial reasons I’m gonna pass on that one.
Hitting 18.
At the time, 18 truly felt like we were adulting. We were now legally able to purchase tobacco products, lottery tickets, vote and register for the draft. Old enough to be a high school senior but not quite old enough to be in college. Most of my classmates had jobs after school to fund their lifestyles.
I wasn’t one of the people who worked a full time job during high school. Between sports over the summer and some minor work for money, I was pretty busy. After graduation I worked before my first year of college. Some of my college classmates did not work after high school and instead travelled and toured the country on their parents’ dime.
My first job was on the second shift at recycling processing facility. I did a lot of grunt work that involved shoveling dirt and running material handling equipment. It was a dirty job for sure, but I learned valuable life lessons. Some of which are “how to work hard” and “why college can be beneficial.” I learned one very valuable lesson that I learned quickly.
“I want to go to and finish college so I don’t have to do this job again.”
Jacob Brown
Growing to 21.
Becoming 21 gave a whole new set of responsibilities. For one, we were now able to legally purchase alcohol. I was in my junior year of undergrad when I turned 21, and had been married for a few months. I attended a college that prohibited the consumption of alcohol for athletes which was fine. I never really had an interest in taking up drinking.
When I was 21 I was paying for most everything needed to live. College finances are difficult because in order to live a person needs money. In order to have money a job is needed. In order to have a job there has to be time. College athletes may have more trouble than other students because of practice and competitions. Working during the summer only provides so much, which makes it more crucial to stick to a budget. Being a college athlete was my job as I was on a scholarship.
Reaching 26.
For my 26th birthday gift, I was kicked out of my parents health insurance. Not because they wanted me gone, but they could not legally supply it to me. Now I pay for my own health insurance and all other aspects of my life. My wife is still on her parents insurance as she is 25, but soon we will both be independent fending for ourselves.
If there is potential for parents to pay for nearly everything in their child’s life until they are 26, does that make them an adult at that time?
When are we adults?
I have felt more like a true adult lately than ever in my life. Reaching the age of 26 has a new milestone when comparing to previous ages. I have now been presented with the opportunity to be independent and pay for all of my bills and expenses. My wife is pregnant with our first child. She is doing an amazing job taking care of the baby and working hard in medical school. We are getting close to the end of school and she will become a doctor soon, which will present us with more adventures in 2022.
Becoming 26 has truly challenged me to become more of a man and take on responsibilities of life. I feel that I am doing well so far but may need a few more years to practice adulting. It seems that becoming a lifelong learner is not that hard and is a requirement for surviving in this crazy world.
No matter the age I have achieved, my previous years seems more childlike than where I am at today. When I turned 16, I felt as if I was an adult. When I turned 18 looking back on 16, I was just a child. At the time of turning 18 I felt like an adult, but looked more like a child after I turned 21. So what age do we become full fledged adults? It currently feels like 26, but it may take a little more time to pin it down.