Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Adult Problems No One Prepared Them For

Make us preferred on Google

Adulthood has been pretty nice, I have to admit. I quite like it. But it isn't always easy and some lessons are more difficult to learn than others.

It's so important to learn how to budget, for instance, because being an adult can get expensive. Between rent, food, utilities, and other odds and ends, you'd be shocked how quickly money flies out the window. Understanding this (and keeping an eye on your finances) pays dividends in the long run.

But that's also assuming things go well or smoothly – unexpected expenses arise and those come with their own consequences.

People shared their thoughts after Redditor FrequentPilot5243 asked the online community,

"What is an adult problem no one prepared you for?"

"All your young life..."

"Lack of purpose. All your young life you are given a purpose of passing exams and learning, then all of a sudden you are thrown into the world and told to find your own meaning."

Captain_Snow

There is something to be said about how much of childhood was demarcated by time. You lose those markers as an adult and that can be a big shock.

"No one shares..."

"No one shares how to prepare for the death of a child. It's devastating when they are young, but more so as adults. My daughter was my best friend. I poured my life into her, trying to prepare her for life in case I wasn't around. Now, I feel lost, and I can't find my voice."

NoGuest1646

We send you our condolences.

"You can stay up..."

"You can stay up as late as you want. But you shouldn't."

geekfit

Yep, better not do that on a work day. You'll regret it, trust me.

"I didn't know..."

"I didn't know that other adults have the emotional intelligence of teenagers and it's almost impossible to deal with logically."

SuperProgress6386

Try working customer service sometime. You'll deal with these people all the time. I don't miss those days.

"No one really talks about..."

"Almost all of your friends won't be life long. No one really talks about how common it is to lose touch with people or grow apart. Most of your life will be spent either making new friends while losing old ones or being alone."

EmotionalTale1044

This is true and we all go through it. I have already gone through it several times.

"Being able to do..."

"Being able to do so many things because I'm an adult but too tired to do any of them."

London82

It's amazing how much having to work sucks all your time and energy from you.

"You are held to account..."

"You are held to account for bad behaviour for which you are negligent even if you had no intention to cause harm. As a lawyer, I see this all the time. People don't think they're responsible for mistakes. You are."

grishamlaw

This is a big lesson to learn and it's probably important to teach young children that they don't get away with their mistakes so easily.

"The intricacies..."

"The intricacies of workplace politics."

Steve_Lobsen

This is a big one and can be a big culture shock the first time you start working. Not understanding workplace politics can make your life more complicated than you'd like.

"Figuring out..."

"Figuring out what makes you happy. Everyone keeps trying to get you to do things you're good at, or that makes you money, but never to pursue what you enjoy."

eternalwanderer5

Unfortunately, so many of the things that bring people joy aren't necessarily the things that will make them money, and that really gets to the heart of unjust our system can be.

"I always thought..."

"One adult problem nobody prepared me for is how expensive everything is. I always thought that as an adult I would be able to afford the things I wanted, but it turns out that's not always the case! I've had to learn how to budget and save up for the things I want, and it's been a difficult process."

DullDog8126

Learning how to budget properly is a valuable lesson. Those who don't learn it have a hell of a time as adults. It's harder than it looks.

"You may have heard..."

"You may have heard from your older relatives that when you get older, it'll be your turn to take care of them. You never really understand just how much it takes until you're in that position."

WanderingGenesis

As someone who has done it, it was perhaps the most difficult thing i have ever done – and there was little, if any, support. It's a big wake up call.

No one ever said life is easy. Hopefully learning, accepting, and anticipating some of these struggles will make your life easier.

Have some thoughts of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots from @voycebutler5's TikTok
@voycebutler5/TikTok

Man Goes Viral For Pretending To Be Woman's Friend In Walmart After She Realized She Was Being Followed

Nobody likes feeling unsafe while alone in public—and women in particular experience this far too often. It's not wonder that most women would choose encountering a random bear in the wild rather than a random man.

It's becoming an increasingly common practice for women to approach other women and pretend to have "lost their friend" in the crowd, so as to deter creeps from bothering them. On rare occasions, a woman might approach a man, as well, if he seems like a safer option.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @ulovelailahakim's TikTok
@ulovelailahakim/TikTok

TikToker Sparks Debate After Revealing 7 Behaviors She Considers 'Cheating' In Viral Video

When it comes to relationships, everyone has different standards for what they view as acceptable or desirable.

Even cheating maintains a certain sense of nuance, as some people believe that only things that happen in the bedroom could qualify as cheating, while others see cheating as something that comes in stages.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Tommy Tuberville
C-SPAN2

Tommy Tuberville Dragged After Claiming Air Travel Industry Is Overrun With 'Furries' In Bonkers Senate Floor Rant

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville was widely mocked after he made the bonkers claim that many pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are "part of the furry community."

Tuberville, who spoke alongside a poster displaying a transphobic message, offered no evidence to substantiate the claim that a large portion of commercial aviation workers identify as furries, nor did he provide evidence that involvement in the furry community presents a safety concern.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kristi Noem
Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Kristi Noem Slammed After Sharing Graphic Photos Of Elk She Took Down During 'Super Fun' Hunting Trip

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was criticized after she shared several gory photos on Instagram of an elk she'd killed during a recent hunting trip.

The Instagram carousel, which the platform labeled as “sensitive content,” shows Noem and the other hunters smiling for the camera and posing with the elk’s carcass as if displaying a trophy from their “super fun hunt.” In several of the photos, Noem’s weapon is positioned beside the animal’s wound, with blood visibly seeping from the injury.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @arriegatoo's TikTok
@arriegatoo/TikTok

TikToker's Nonchalant Reaction To Being Run Over By A Car Leaves Viewers Flabbergasted

We've all heard of adrenaline spikes causing people to be able to do incredible things, but this is ridiculous!

A young woman, @arriegatoo on TikTok, posted a video that was under 10 seconds, and while she laughed, she said:

Keep ReadingShow less