adults

It seems like our generation has an aversion to "growing up." For some reason, we hold lack of responsibility in high esteem. Maybe past generations felt the same way, but our generation has social media, and thus a larger platform to proclaim our disdain for all things adult. Budgets? Gross! Going to bed early in order to be well rested? I'm so lame! We seem to live in a prolonged state of adolesence because our culture tells us that our 20s are a time to "discover ourselves." Whatever that means.

Anyway, my point here is not to bash our culture or even the longing most of us twenty somethings have for freedom from responsibility. I feel it, too! Although I'm married with a 5 month-old and a dog, the thought of buying a house terrifies me and makes me want to go live on a boat. Sail the high seas and never look back.

My point, actually, is to remind myself that being an adult is awesome, even though adults have to balance their checkbooks and change diapers and not ignore the check engine light in the car. There were so many things past me couldn't wait to do when I grew up. There are so many things past me didn't even know about! Adulthood has its perks, folks! Here are my top 10 perks of adulthood:

1. You can buy any cereal you want. Even the sugary ones. Even the ones that are actually cookies disguised as cereal.
2. No curfew. Except the self-imposed ones because of work. But really, if you want to stay out all night, you can! You just have to suffer the consequences the next day. 
3. You are rarely forced to eat foods that are repulsive to you. 
4. Happy hour.
   
5. Within reason, you can do whatever you want. You don't have to ask permission to go hang out at a friend's house.
6. Candy. I remember thinking when I was about seven or eight that it would be so great to make my own money, because then I could buy as much candy as I wanted. Don't think I'm not taking advantage of that power now that I have my own bank account.
   
7. You can live and work wherever you want. 
8. The simple pleasure of enjoying a glass of wine, beer, with dinner.
   
9. Probably no one says as you're walking out the door: "Oh. You're wearing that? Are you sure?"
10. Binge watching television. The only repercussions are that when you finally get off the couch you feel like a vampire and also dead inside, but at least your mom or dad won't come home and yell at you. When my sisters and I were younger, but old enough to stay home alone, my mom would go to work in summer and leave a chore list behind. Usually folding the laundry was on that list. We would put that one off until the last minute, gather in my parents' room (because that's where laundry is folded) and watch The Price is Right until we saw Mom pulling into the driveway. Then it was operation Pious Children. Everyone knew the drill. TV off. Neat piles of folded clothes on the bed. Act like the rest of the chores took you all morning. #confessions

I'm somewhat embarrassed that exactly 1/2 of the list has to do with food and beverage. But really, what it comes down to is that as adults we can basically do what we want, when we want. Hopefully our parents raised us well, and we know that natural consequences for our actions exist, but we can choose to experience those consequences if we want! 

 Yes, some parts of adulthood suck. It would be awesome to be able to drink juice boxes and play capture the flag in the backyard all day without a care in the world. But now, we get to drink boxed wine and watch 7 hours in a row of The Office on Netflix. Even better.