Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Adult Problems No One Prepared Them For

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 @realprogressive11's TikTok video
@realprogressive11/TikTok

Rural Michigan Woman Speaks Out About 'Dystopian' Grocery Costs In Eye-Opening Video

TikToker @realprogressive11, a rural Michigan resident, is tired of dancing around the subject and is ready to call it like it is: according to her, grocery shopping has become a "dystopian" experience.

And based on other TikTokers' experiences, this isn't specific to Michigan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Rannells Just Dished On How Dating Anderson Cooper At 25 Directly Inspired 'Girls' Storyline—And Our Jaws Are On The Floor
Daily Beast/Obsessed; Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

Andrew Rannells Just Dished On How Dating Anderson Cooper At 25 Directly Inspired 'Girls' Storyline—And Our Jaws Are On The Floor

After years of speculation, the tea has finally been spilled about who inspired Elijah Krantz and Dill Harcourt's relationship.

In case you missed it, the hit TV show Girls aired for six seasons from 2012 to 2017, and followed the lives of four young women making their way through early romance and career moves in New York City.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tom Holland and Zendaya
Pablo Cuadra/WireImage/Getty Images

Tom Holland Just Confirmed The Months-Long Rumors That He And Zendaya Got Married—And His Comments Have Fans Swooning

American actor and singer Zendaya and British actor and dancer Tom Holland first met in 2016 during the screen test and casting process for their roles in the 2017 Marvel made/Sony approved movie Spider-Man: Homecoming. The pair, both born in 1996, were successful child actors transitioning into adults, but still playing teens on camera.

They became fast friends, but didn't begin dating until sometime later, even if fans thought the attraction happened much sooner. They finally confirmed their relationship in 2021.

Keep ReadingShow less
Billy Porter; Elisabeth Hasselbeck
CBS Mornings

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Is Getting Some Major Side-Eye After Making Bizarre Dig At Billy Porter During Interview

Conservative TV host Elisabeth Hasselbeck first gained public notice in 2001 as a contestant on the second season of the CBS reality show Survivor, then she furthered her fame by marrying NFL player Tim Hasselbeck the following year.

After that, she became the conservative voice on The View for a decade (2003-2013), frequently clashing with her co-hosts and garnering animosity from viewers. Portraying herself as a trad-wife while in reality being a working mother, her next stint was on Fox News' Fox & Friends from 2013 to 2015 before being replaced by Sean Hannity paramour Ainsley Earhardt.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of JD Vance and Whoopi Goldberg
Fox News; The View

JD Vance Ripped After Running To Fox News To Whine About Whoopi Goldberg Supposedly Calling Him 'Racist' On 'The View'

Vice President JD Vance was criticized after he complained on Fox News that The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg had called him a "racist" during his appearance on the program.

While on The View, Vance sidestepped a question from Goldberg about concerns that the Trump administration was marginalizing Black history and communities.

Keep ReadingShow less