18, right around the corner

Do you think you are ready for adulthood? Even though I am turning 18 this year, I am far from being capable of doing adult things such as paying for rent, taxes, financial issues, and getting my own job, etc. Those are just some of the little things that come with being an adult. As a young adult in high school, many of us are nowhere near prepared for that. 

 When kids hit their late teens, it’s always “Once I am 18, I’m leaving this house” but once reality hits them, they wish they were a kid again. 

According to youth.gov, “The path from adolescence to adulthood has become a complicated journey filled with uncertainty, shifting social and cultural expectations, growing social inequalities, and difficult economic choices and constraints.” 

Your mentality and actions before adulthood is what sets up your path for the future. As a young adult, my mentality is still in the process of maturing. My mood and emotions are all over the place. Going from 17 to 18 is a big weight on my shoulders. 

Of course, I want to grow up, but the question still remains, are we ready? Most of us are not but one thing I know for sure is we better start getting our act together. 

Life after high school is so difficult. Not knowing what path you should take after high school is stressful. When teachers ask you if you are going to college, you become terrified because of the unknown. 

Building up responsibility is important because in some cases you will be on your own everyday. College can cost a lot of money, and not all parents are willing to pay for tuition so you are stuck asking for a student loan. Which leads to having to pay back the loans and being in student debt. 

Even if you decide to join the workforce, some people aren’t mature enough to hold down a job. They end up going from job to job in an endless cycle. 

Adulthood is a beautiful step up, but for me, it’s too stressful to even think about at the moment. If I’m being honest, I need to stop worrying about me not being ready and start worrying about things to do for me to get ready, because the time will come, whether I like it or not.