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First published by HarperCollins 2018
FIRST EDITION
© Iain Stirling 2018
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Cover photograph © Jay Brooks 2018
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Source ISBN: 9780008288006
Ebook Edition © August 2018 ISBN: 9780008288020
Version: 2018-06-21
adulting
NOUN
informal
The practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks.
However, the entire time you are carrying out said tasks you are uncomfortably aware that you have no idea what the hell you are doing, you will fuck it up and eventually be found out.
‘Fucking hell, this adulting is IMPOSSIBLE. How do I explain to my boss that I’m late for work because I dropped my phone in the toilet while watching a YouTube video and taking a shit?’
I’m constantly told by my parents, friends and my birth certificate that I’m an adult now, but what does that even mean? And why does it seem to be so insanely difficult? Following some in-depth research/googling I have ascertained that, generally speaking, the idea of being an adult is split into two camps, that of the ‘responsible adult’ and the ‘irresponsible adult’. These two definitions are as follows.
Responsible adult: taking on the new-found responsibilities that come with being a grown-up, such as getting a job, buying a house and having children.
Irresponsible adult: now the restrictions of childhood have been removed you can do or act however you want. For example, staying up as late as you like, drinking alcohol, spending your money as you choose.
Whether ‘responsible’ or ‘irresponsible’, these actions carry with them that bizarre feeling of, ‘Wow, I’m being such an adult right now.’ I’ve listed a few of my favourite such moments that make you feel like a grown-up here:
COOKING MEALS FROM SCRATCH
GOING ON HOLIDAY WITHOUT YOUR PARENTS
DRIVING, PARTICULARLY DURING A TRICKY PARALLEL PARK
FIRST TIME YOU GO INTO YOUR OVERDRAFT (LOSES ITS ALLURE QUICKLY)
REALISING YOU CAN EAT OUT EVEN IF IT ISN’T A SPECIAL OCCASION
BEING IN THE SUPERMARKET AND REALISING YOU CAN BUY WHATEVER YOU LIKE
DEFROSTING A FREEZER
DRIVING THROUGH A CITY CENTRE AND BEING ABLE TO CONFIDENTLY STATE, ‘THAT USED TO BE A BLOCKBUSTERS’
LIKING COLDPLAY
BEING ABLE TO LEGALLY RENT A VAN
BEING TOLD TO TURN THE VOLUME DOWN BY YOUR NEIGHBOURS RATHER THAN YOUR PARENTS
IRONING YOUR FIRST SHIRT
HAVING A NIGHT OUT THAT DOESN’T INVOLVE PRE-DRINKING
THE FIRST TIME YOU REALISE YOU LIKE OLIVES
HAVING A COFFEE INSTEAD OF A DESSERT
HELPING YOUR PARENTS PICK UP SOMETHING THAT’S HEAVY
WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY AND WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COOK YOU DINNER THEN REALISE THAT SOMEONE IS YOU
MAKING PEOPLE TAKE THEIR SHOES OFF BEFORE COMING INTO YOUR HOUSE
WHEN BANK HOLIDAYS BECOME A CHANCE TO CARRY OUT CHORES, NOT NURSE HANGOVERS