Adult Life vs. College Life

Lately I have been seeing and talking to a lot of college students and younger adults who are home for the summer.  Ah, what would life be like if you could be financially dependent and totally taken care of, all while floating around totally without purpose in life?

Well… maybe.  Hanging out with these fabulous younger folks have reminded me some of the reasons I hate being a real adult, and some of the reasons I love being a real adult…

Reasons I love being a real adult:

  • I have my own space, and as much space as I want.
  • I am my own landlord.
  • I don’t have to put up with roommates.
  • I always have a parking space for my car, right in my garage!
  • I can buy frivolous things without getting nagged by my parents.
  • I do not have to rely solely on Wendy’s dollar menu for sustenance.
  • I am accountable to no one but God, Uncle Sam, and Myself. (usually in that order)

Reasons I hate being a real adult:

  • Yard work.
  • Bills…. power, water, gas, mortgage, internet, phone, property tax, car insurance, homeowners insurance, homeowners association fees, vehicle registrations… it never ends!  Everyone wants a piece.
  • You really have to go to work every day, cause it really matters if you lose your job.
  • Watering plants.
  • You find out that everyone (Mom, Dad, other family, etc) you used to turn to for the answers really don’t have any answers.  In fact, you find out they are making it up as they go along just like you are.
  • Yard work.
  • You find that no matter how much you get paid, it’s still never enough.
  • Air Conditioning – the necessary evil.
  • You can’t just spend the whole summer sleeping in until noon, hanging out at the pool, and doing other completely frivolous, worthless activities.
  • Yard work.

Anyone else want to add any other reasons to either column?

9 thoughts on “Adult Life vs. College Life”

  1. I totally hear you! I was talking to my dad the other night (actually I was crying to my dad the other night) and I just wanted him to come get me. I could move in with him, do chores, and just pretend like I never grew up. And you are right about everyone just making it up. Some are just better at it than others.

  2. I like yard work. It is a great stress reliever and you can do it all alone.. ahh peace of no one harrassing you.

  3. I fit in all the items listed in the first part of your blog……yup….and the second part of the blog, I don’t worry about most of the things listed. Someone else does my yard, I don’t have to go to work, I get to go. the only one that I have to answer to is God…sometimes my children, bless them, want to be informed as to what I am doing….how can I answer to that when I don’t know what I am doing myself. One problem I see in todays society is that to many people worry about themselves more than what they can do to help those in need who live around them, me included. Each one should labor to be positive and look for the good things that exist around them. If we are not progressing in the positive, we are really going backwards. Not one should just stand still and let the world rush on by, but keep moving forward. Maybe this is an old-fashioned way to look at things, but I am a happy fellow that counts his blessings every day. My little roommate feels the same way. And at this time in my life, I am glad to have a roomie.

  4. Things to love: no homework. Not love: no month long holidays. (Except for the teachers out there. Where did my career decisions go wrong???)

  5. Things I hate, Waking up at 4:30 in the morning, just to do the same mundane tasks as the day before.

  6. Not having to share a bathroom with ANYONE!!!!!! Growing up I shared the bathroom with 3 older brothers and 1 younger sister. If you were in the bathroom for more than 3 minutes, someone was pounding on the door asking how much longer were you going to be yet strangely there was never anyone around when you ran out of toilet paper. When I finally had my own bathroom, I was out of college and in my first real apartment. I was so excited that I went to Garden Ridge and spent about $200 on decorations.

  7. Things to love: Getting to go on cool trips wherever you want with whoever you want and no one being able to say anything about it. Things to hate: having to foot the bill for said trips. Also topping my things to hate list: Having to wear clothes every day that require dry cleaning, thus necessitating visits to the dry cleaners; watching my little sister (aka the younger cuter version of me) relive my college days and deriving, if its possible, even more pleasure out of the frivolity of it all. Oh well. At least I don’t have to write my name on my milk jug anymore. If it’s gone, know who’s fault it is.

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