We've all had that moment when adulthood hit us like a ton of bricks, and we realized, 'Damn — I'm not a child anymore.'
Well, a viral Reddit thread asked people to share when they realized they weren't children anymore, and the responses were hilarious, heartbreaking, and all the way real:
1. "When I realized that just because I have the money for something doesn't mean I can afford it."
2. "When I realized I could eat Nutella for dinner and no one would say a word."
3. "When being sick became an annoyance. As a kid, you get to stay home from school and get pampered by your parents. As an adult, your responsibilities don't just magically go away, so you're both miserable and stressed out."
4. "When I was 13, I found an old box. I realized I hadn't played 'pretend' in ages, so for the hell of it I sat down in the box to see if I still could. Well, I realized that while I was still an imaginative person, I could no longer see the stories and scenarios I used to act out in my head as a kid. When I pretended to be a princess, I could practically see the marble halls and unicorns around me. I couldn't anymore, and it made me cry."
5. "When I could finally stay up as long as I wanted to, and all I wanted to do was go to sleep at 8 p.m."
6. "When I got socks and underwear for Christmas and was happy. 'Oh sweeeeeet, I needed some new pairs!'"
7. "When I cleaned my room because I was bored."
8. "When I had to hold my dog as the vet put her down. She was old and in pain, but she was my dog — and I had to decide when enough was enough."
9. "When all I wanted for my birthday was a higher credit score."
10. "My mom had a stroke and was hospitalized for a month while my dad worked two jobs, and since I was the oldest at 17, I suddenly had to step into the responsibility of taking care of my grandparents who lived nearby. I remember the first time I went grocery shopping for the whole family — I was so overwhelmed staring at all the choices for bread and not knowing which to buy. That was the moment I grew up."
11. "When I'd saved up money to get another tattoo for my birthday but ended up buying myself a brand-new cordless vacuum instead."
12. "When I realized my actions have consequences that hurt others."
13. "I had recently moved into my first apartment and gotten groceries when I checked the mail to find my first water, electric, and gas bills. I remember thinking, 'It's going to cost me money to exist for the rest of my life.'"
14. "When an adult tried to make small talk about the weather with me."
15. "On September 11th...the first time I saw my father cry."
16. "When I started agreeing with Squidward instead of Spongebob."
17. "When I overslept on Christmas morning."
18. "I had just moved into my first apartment 1,000 miles from my hometown alone. I had a bed, a TV, a couch, and that was pretty much it. After a rough day at work, lots of complaining customers and 'let me talk to your supervisor' moments, I was exhausted and emotionally drained. I opened the door to my apartment, and there was...silence. No noise from siblings, no parents sitting on the couch watching TV, no friends waiting to hang out. Just the oppressing silence of an empty apartment with nothing on the walls."
19. "I got the flu and vomited all over my room. I knew I was no longer a child when I was the one who had to clean it up."
20. "I remember going outside to 'play' and realizing I didn't know what to do. So I went back inside to read."
21. "When I found myself questioning why things are the way they are, why the world isn't a better place, and why so many things are designed awfully."
22. "When I moved my bed to the middle of the room instead of the corner."
23. "When I realized the adults in my life have no idea what they are doing — they're just winging it."
Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.