Sometimes...

[Circuits]

you become an adult when a situation comes upon you and you rise to the occasion. Other times, perhaps, you choose your time and your situation and decide to assert or identify as an adult during or afterwards. More likely, you just did what you did, and realized afterwards that you were now an adult.

I'd like to hear about others' experiences on when you realized you were, or had to act as, or had become in that experience, an adult.


Corollary: what does "being an adult" mean to you?

[Bailey Guns]

I think it hit me in July 1979 when I stepped off the bus at Lackland AFB to the sound of screaming TIs.

[fitterjohn]

I feel like I did a bunch or grown up things full time career at 19 bought my house at 22, but the moment I actually felt like an adult was the first time I saw my son. Up until that point I felt like a teen with a bunch of money out for a good time with my buddies and being an adult would come later.

[BPTactical]

I've never hit that point in my life.

[Bailey Guns]

I've definitely had relapses out of adulthood.

[StagLefty]

When my son was born it hit me that it was time to step up !!!

[FoxtArt]

I'm not sure I recollect a defining line. It would've felt that way sometime before being a legal adult though, but I don't recall how far before. I missed out on a lot of the teenagy bs, but it was for the best.

Sort of off topic, but I remember a guy doing a paid speech once, a few years back. He opened with "Let me take you back to the hardest time in your life, high school". He was serious, and I stood up and walked out.

[theGinsue]

I think it hit me in July 1979 when I stepped off the bus at Lackland AFB to the sound of screaming TIs.

For me if was a few months before going to Basic. I was in college and ran out of money. I lived in a nasty trailer with my brother who informed me he was moving out of town. The only job I could get (that paid me a salary) was at Wendy's - which was not enough to pay full rent and food to survive. I tried to get financial aid from college but was turned down on every front. I was coming up on VERY hard times in 3 months. I knew I'd be on welfare & food stamps (if I qualified) if I didn't do something quickly and moving back home to mom and dad wasn't an option. I decided the only adult choice I had was to join the military. I arranged to visit the recruiter and then used the college library to study for the ASVAB test. My lowest score on the test was 85. I took responsibility for my life as an adult would instead of relying on others to take care of me.

[wctriumph]

There was no particular incident that I can remember when I said to myself, "you are all grown up now, you are a man". I just was.

[Great-Kazoo]

What's an adult ?

IMO there's no real defining moment, but many of them. Being there assisting the delivery of your first child, for one.

As much as it's a mental one, it's also physical. Having a stroke changes one's entire outlook and how you approach life afterward. Same for cancer or other illness that one may have, or that happens to their spouse. Stepping up when life, or death calls, is not a single event.