Sadly, we can't stay “little” forever, even though life may seem easier that way.
We all grow up eventually, and sometimes, it's hard to embrace our transition into adulthood.
Even though I'm only 20, I've begun to experience serious growing pains. It's hard to accept this new "adulting" lifestyle, but I've learned the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Here are 10 signs you're growing up:
1. You enjoy spending time with your family.
When you're younger, spending time with family can feel like a burden.
Who wouldn't rather be spending time with their friends? But once you grow up, you enjoy your family's company and look forward to hanging out with them because it's a choice, not a demand.
2. You look forward to staying in.
Staying in used to feel like a punishment when you were little, and finding out all your friends were busy was one of the worst feelings.
Now, when your plan gets canceled or you didn't have any plans in the first place, you look forward to some peaceful alone time.
3. Cooking and cleaning give you a satisfying feeling.
Cooking and cleaning used to be a chore, something you hated and would do anything to get out of.
Now that you're growing up, you enjoy trying new recipes and cooking for others. You feel accomplished when your space is clean and done “the right way.”
4. Bedtime is one of your favorite times.
Going to bed used to be your most dreaded time of day, and you'd find any reason to stay up for an extra 30 minutes. Now, it seems like quite the opposite.
You look forward to your nightly ritual and falling asleep at a decent time.
5. You look at weekends as a way to catch up.
Weekends used to be for hanging out with your friends, going to the mall and playing sports. Now, you look at the weekend as a time to clean, cook, do laundry and catch up on all the tasks that need to be done before the week begins again.
Preparation is key!
6. You don't get to see your friends every day.
Being young and in school, you were able to see your friends a minimum five times a week.
Now, you only get to catch up with your friend's weeknights and the weekend because everyone gets busy in their own lives, and work gets in the way.
7. You book your own appointments.
I laughed when I thought of this, but it couldn't be more accurate.
Everyone thinks they're old until they ask their mom to book their dentist appointment.
Now, we're growing up, and it's up to us if we want to see the dentist or not, and it's our responsibility to call for that appointment.
8. You live by your schedule or calendar.
When you were young, you used to remember every plan you had because in total, there was maybe two events or plans to remember.
Now that you have school, work, meetings, appointments and are trying to maintain your social life, it's crucial to check your calendar before making any plans.
9. Your metabolism doesn't work like it used to.
When you're little, you can eat anything and everything. I used to eat ice cream and cookies more than I would like to admit.
Now, you need to eat a healthy and balanced diet to look half as good as you used to. And please, don't let me get started on working out.
10. You finally understand the saying, “You'll understand when you're older.”
Remember that dreaded line your mom used to use? You said you would never agree with her, even when you're older.
Well, you were lying to yourself, and you didn't even know it. Your mom was right because you do understand! The point of the story is, your mom is always right.
It's OK to grow up; growing is a part of life.
It's something you need to go through to get to your goals.
So, look at it as a positive, and keep pushing yourself to do better and be better. I'm rooting for each and every single one of you.
This article was originally published on Unwritten.
