When you're a teenager, the entire world is open to you. There's so much to do and see, and things that you see adults doing seem so lame and uninspired.
Teenagers want to be adventurous and impulsive. They aren't held back by the inhibitions adults have, but they also don't have the same life experiences as adukts. Once they do, they change.
As a teenager, I would use weekends to stay up all night to do all the things I was too busy to do during the week, such as play video games or get through some of the movies on my 'Must Watch' list. I would think my parents were so lame for going to sleep early on a Friday night, especially since they also had a list of things they wanted to do that they were too busy to do during the week.
As I transitioned from teenager to adult, I truly learned the merits of a good night's sleep. There's no shame in going to bed early on a Friday night, especially if it meant I could wake up earlier on a Saturday morning, and therefore still have time to do all the things I couldn't do during the week.
I even learned that none of those things are as important or even as enjoyable as sleeping during the especially exhausting weeks.
Redditors have learned this exact lesson, through the actual activities or items are different.
Curious about what adult Redditors love now that they thought were lame as a teenager, Redditor wheretostream asked:
"What was lame as a teenager, but dope as an adult?"
"One can never have enough socks."
"Receiving socks for Christmas. Staying inside. Actually sitting down and relaxing."
– blackeagle_caspar
"Quality socks are the best"
– RunningNumbers
"So much this. I love socks. My mother and me both say if I can't wear it or eat it, I don't want it, at Christmas."
– Baelabog
Home Is Where The Heart Is
"Staying in on Friday nights"
– razzledazzle626
"Not gonna lie I’m a lifelong fan of staying home on Friday nights. although I did very much enjoy hanging out at night after school"
– BjornBeetleBorg
"Saturdays too!"
– exhaustedforever
"Sitting home all weekend!"
– OhComeOn-
Strappin'
"Wearing your backpack on both shoulders."
– shaggy--
"…And tightening the straps appropriately."
– WackyBones510
"I Eats Me Spinach"
"Eating healthy. Few pieces of broccoli and I feel like a superhero nowadays."
– Vanguard050505
"Spinach and onion pizza FTW."
– Immediate-Pool-4391
Catching Some Zzzzs
"Going to bed before 10pm."
– Wormverine
"You stay up until 10???"
– geddylee1
"Relatedly, taking naps."
– HugeMisfit
I Really Can't Stay
"Parties end at 9-10pm and you don’t get pressured into staying later if you tell the host or your friends “I have to get up early for work”"
– randomthoughtsofnaps
"Next-level: leaving with no explanation. Just saying “I have to go”."
– InternetD*ckJuice
Family Time
"Hanging out with your parents"
– BigYikesThe3rd
"This was my answer. When I was a teenager, I’d do anything to avoid hanging out with my parents. Twenty years later, I’d do anything to have the chance to spend a day with them again."
– covetagain
Spick And Span
" Cleaning. I hated it as a teenager mostly because it needed to be to my parent's standards. Now that I'm an aduly with my own space I get to clean and organize however I want and it turns out I don't enjoy living in a messy area"
– pumpkinthighs
Money Not Spent
"Living within a budget and not spending money on unnecessary stuff because it's cool. Buying stuff that's not name brand but just as good."
– booksrmylife
Take The Leap
"Trying something different. As a teenager, it’s cringe to try anything. As an adult, it’s very empowering to surprise yourself by trying new stuff."
– SubstantialSpell7515
YES TO ALL OF THIS!
Being an adult doesn't mean we have to give up our impulsivity or our "go go go" attitude. It just means we can slow down when we need to and learn to appreciate the small things we used to see as uncool.
It makes life just a little sweeter.
@lpeterp/Bluesky
@FPWellman/X
@bobsbeatgmail.com5/Threads