I recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share the "boring adult things" they didn't care about as kids but suddenly enjoy now. The responses made me feel oddly sentimental about the seemingly mundane things that bring a welcome sparkle to our stressful adult lives. It made me appreciate that it genuinely doesn't take much to make us happy.
Here are the best responses:
1. "Getting good produce. Slicing into an avocado or tomato that I picked out at the store to find that it's perfectly ripe is amazing."
2. "Bird watching. On purpose. For fun."
—Anonymous
3. "I get ridiculously excited about appliances that I could not have cared less about as a child. An Instant Pot for Christmas? Yay! The Shark vacuum I got so cheap on Black Friday? Hooray! 14-year-old me is probably rolling her eyes like, 'WTF is wrong with you?'"
4. "Organizing! The Container Store is just as exciting as going to a theme park now."
5. "Alone time. It doesn't matter if it is just sitting in silence, doing nothing. Something that would have been punishment as a kid is now a rare treat."
6. "Socks and underwear (particularly a new bra that actually fits well). I hated getting clothes as a gift when I was young, but now I cackle with witchy glee when I put on a new pair of socks."
7. "No plans. No alarm clock. Just sleep."
8. "I know this is weird, but paying bills. The moment I see mine or my husband's direct deposit hit, I pull out my phone calculator, do the math to make sure there's enough money, and start processing payments. It's like a little rush."
9. "I spent over an hour on Amazon looking for a new mop until I finally found the perfect one! When I got it in the mail, the first thing I did was rip it open and mop my floor immediately. Adulthood is fun 🤩."
10. "Good quality cookware. I needed a new saucepan, and my dad surprised me with a highly-rated one. I was so genuinely excited to cook with it for the first time that I caught myself hugging it on the train ride home."
—Anonymous
11. "Going to bed at a reasonable time after I've wiped down the kitchen, made sure everything is put away, and all the lights are off is HEAVEN. A weekend with no plans but to clean and then play video games? DELIGHTFUL. Folding and putting away clean laundry? INCREDIBLE."
12. "Sleeping. Especially those long, luxurious naps on weekends. I remember being a kid who HATED taking naps. What was I thinking back then?!?"
13. "Lord have mercy — do I love puzzles. I frame them, too!"
14. "Quality Bedding! A good breathable sheet set, plush pillows, and a nice duvet is the recipe for a great night of sleep."
—Anonymous
15. "Houses/apartments with lots of storage space. I’m drooling just thinking about it."
16. "I moved to a newer apartment with a washer and dryer in-unit. After living in a crappy old apartment with a coin-operated laundry room for more years than I wish to share, I was absolutely ECSTATIC to do laundry in my own home."
—Anonymous
17. "Going to CVS and getting things on sale, like bandages and other medical items, will make my whole day! If I find something I need on clearance, that makes my entire week. It's such a great 'high' feeling to look at my 50 yards of CVS receipt and see the line where it tells how much money was saved!"
18. "Cleaning! The dopamine hit from sitting down on the couch and admiring the freshly cleaned room, floors, table and windows can only be compared to eating ice cream on a hot sunny day as a kid."
—Anonymous
19. "A weekend with no plans, and minimal calls/texts. It used to feel lonely, but now I can't wait until I get another weekend with no human contact."
20. "Getting new necessities like a new body wash, loofah, deodorant, shampoo, or conditioner is so lovely. I love being the first one to crack open new toothpaste. I love shaving with a brand-new razor. Like, I find myself being so excited if I have a new night cream to try out! Getting old is weird, man..."
21. "Yard work — especially raking leaves! I love the quietness."
—Anonymous