Remember when we thought being an adult meant eating cake for breakfast and staying up all night? Yeah, turns out it’s mostly budgeting, stress, and questioning life choices at 2 AM!
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “adulting” as the actions and behaviours that are typical of adults, rather than children or young people. In the Indian context, adults often live with their parents until they get married and start their own families. When transitioning to living independently, do you ever wonder how complicated the process of individuation can become? It is often in their mid-twenties that people become acutely aware of what it means to be an adult and to manage everything on their own. But adulting isn’t just about paying the bills — it’s the mental, emotional, and social labour that no one prepared us for.
The Grief Of Growing Up
As exciting as growing up may seem to a teenager, the transition into adulthood is often not as smooth and rosy as expected. Many of us suddenly find ourselves burdened with new responsibilities. This experience can resonate particularly with those who are the first in their family to go to college, move to a new city for work, or travel abroad.
While older siblings may have their own sense of responsibility for their younger siblings, the emotional challenges of adulthood can be overwhelming to handle alone. Whether it’s losing friendships, navigating the ups and downs of romantic relationships, or dealing with job stress that others may not understand, the emotional weight can be heavy. Many of us yearn for a parental figure to nurture and support us, yet we also feel the urge to break free, thinking that this is part of growing up.
Before we realize it, we’re confronted with existential questions: Who am I? Do I even like my job? Am I happy with my life? These questions can add to the confusion and stress of adulthood, leaving us to grapple with our identities and choices.
The Myth Of Work-Life Balance
Somewhere between our first job offer and our third burnout, we realized that “work-life balance” might just be an inside joke among the ultra-rich. You were promised a fulfilling career, time for hobbies, solid friendships, a fit body, and eight hours of sleep—except, no one mentioned that you only get 24 hours in a day, and most of it is spent working or commuting.
The 9-to-5 grind often feels like an endless cycle: wake up tired, work all day, come home exhausted, and repeat. The pressure to be productive doesn’t stop when we clock out, either. Social media glorifies the “hustle” culture—side gigs, passion projects, upskilling—while also romanticizing slow living, where we sip matcha in sunlit apartments. How are we supposed to do both?
Then there’s the guilt. If we prioritize work, we’re missing out on life. If we take a break, we feel lazy. And let’s not forget the unspoken expectation to be reachable always. Finding balance feels impossible when rest is treated as a luxury instead of a necessity.
Maybe the secret isn’t balancing everything perfectly, but choosing what truly matters—and giving ourselves permission to just exist without guilt.
Decision Fatigue
Remember when our parents picked out everything for us? Our clothes, our school bags, and even filled out our forms? Now we have all the freedom in the world to make decisions for ourselves, right from the toothpaste brand to what mutual funds we want to invest in. But decision fatigue is real and every little choice chips away at our mental energy. No one tells you that ordering food is a strategic exercise between your cravings, budget, and the fear of regretting your order.
As kids, decisions were simple: chocolate or vanilla? Play inside or outside? Bigger decisions—career paths, financial planning, relationships—come with the constant fear of what if I mess this up? The worst part? There’s no pause button. If we ignore a decision, it just lingers in the background like an open browser tab draining our mental battery. And by the end of the day, even picking what to watch on Netflix feels like too much effort. So, we default to scrolling endlessly, paralyzed by choices.
Maybe the trick isn’t making perfect choices but realizing that most decisions aren’t as life-altering as they seem. And yes, sometimes, flipping a coin is a valid strategy.
Never Ending To-Do List
Adulthood is basically one long to-do list that never gets shorter. For every task we check off, three more pop up. Pay bills, schedule doctor appointments, meal prep, clean the house, answer emails, buy groceries, call back a relative—it’s endless. And let’s not forget the random adulting tasks no one warned us about, like fixing a leaky tap or figuring out how taxes work.
The worst part? The mental load. Even when we’re not actively doing something, we’re thinking about what still needs to be done. It’s like our brains are constantly running in the background, reminding us of overdue tasks at the worst possible moments—like right before bed.
As kids, we thought adults had it all figured out. Turns out, they were just as overwhelmed but better at pretending. The truth? No one has enough time for everything, so we’re all just prioritizing and hoping for the best.
The Financial Jigsaw Puzzle
Earning money is great—until we realize how expensive life is. Rent, utilities, groceries, unexpected expenses, and somehow, we’re also supposed to save for the future? Managing finances feels like playing Tetris with our bank account, constantly rearranging things to make it work.
Even when we try to be responsible, financial anxiety creeps in. Should we be investing? Is our emergency fund enough? Why did no one teach us this in school? Most of us are just winging it, hoping we don’t make a decision that ruins our future.
We’re All Just Figuring It Out
If adulting feels hard, it’s because it is hard. We’re expected to manage work, finances, relationships, health, and personal growth while acting like we have it all together. But here’s the secret: no one actually does.
The good news? You’re not alone in this struggle. Adulting isn’t about perfection; it’s about learning, adapting, and forgiving ourselves for not having all the answers. Some days, we’ll be productive, and other days, we’ll just survive—and that’s okay. Because at the end of the day, we’re all just doing our best, one slightly chaotic step at a time.
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