Here in the United States, one is considered an adult at 18 years of age. While I may have held the title, I am lucky to have survived my 20s and it wasn't until my mid 30s before I was really making good choices and gaining momentum as a true adult rather than an adult by title.

So, at what point did you finally stop all the tomfoolery and really settle in to being a productive member of society? Asked another way, when we're your priorities finally straight? By this I don't necessarily mean all bills paid, never partying etc. It's okay to have some debt and fun, but I remember living from check to check and at times, booze was a higher priority than a meal or two.

I would say 23. I had to grow up fast. I was responsible in my late teens, but still acting a little foolish at times.

I'm not exactly sure what age it was, but I more or less skipped adolescence and went from childhood to adulthood directly. Although I lived with my parents all through college, I was not a playboy and was always serious about my studies, worked part time to help with expenses, etc. Immediately upon graduation (B.S.Ch.E.) I was commissioned a 2LT in USAF and went off to a duty station on a mountain top in Oregon. Nowhere along the line did I have any time for "tomfoolery"; I never drank (alcohol) or smoked, either. Party? Not me.

FWIW, around 45 years of age I decided to reclaim my lost adolescence--I had more money and more free time. I got interested in loud cars and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It was fun.

flashguy

quote:

Asked another way, when we're your priorities finally straight?

Next year hopefully.

15. When I had my first job. We grew up poor and I learned at an early age the value of a dollar. When the other high school kids were partying Friday and Saturday night I was adding to the savings account. I’ve never lived paycheck to paycheck.

When you have kids

I adopted the name Pickle Rick with the help of Para. I am 58 y.o. so tell me when I am adulting. I am sure the Mrs. would love to comment on this as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Pickle Rick:
I adopted the name Pickle Rick with the help of Para. I am 58 y.o. so tell me when I am adulting. I am sure the Mrs. would love to comment on this as well.

I was about to say the same thing. Well, not the pickle part...

I'm 52, I'll let you know when I get it figured out...

I would say that when I graduated college and went to work for my father in the trades union as a Laborer.

My dad was well known in the Union trades in the Central Ohio area and he made darn sure I understood that, and not to act like a fool.

I couldn't find work, and he pulled some strings and got me in the Laborers Union.

He let me know that if I wanted to be a tool and fool around, there were a lot of guys on the bench (unemployed) that would be glad to take my spot.

That put an end to the drinking, partying, showing up or not showing up.

I was 28ish.
I have back slid a little as I got older and got screwed working for various County and State agencies.

22

in general the US Army doesn't take kindly to slackers and child's play.

which is not to say you can't have fun / a sense of humor

but taking duty and responsibility serious ? definitely

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For me, at around 40 years of age. I was trying to "satisfy" two young girls and got fired from a good paying job in Commercial radio for pissing off the station manager and for starting crap on the air with the newspaper company that owned it. It was then the two chicks got together one day and they both fired me with the result - NO nooky at all!!!

It was then (1981) I decided to get my shit together and plan for the future.

I think I am still working on it, but it really began the moment I looked into the hospital nursery at my hours-old, first-born child and realized I was responsible for his care, safety and health for at least the next 18 years.



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Married at 22 and a baby in hand at 25, so yeah around there. Now with an empty nest though, I find myself regressing. Now if I can just make retirement before the real childish stuff starts.

It depends on your definition of "adulting."

If you mean self-sufficient, I joined The Marines right out of high school at the age of 18. Attended some really mentally tough electronics/avionics schools, then got attached to my squadron in 1993. I did my share of drinking heavily and doing stupid stuff. Deploying in a MEU is not child's play but we get crazy when we port; especially in Thailand. Deployed in 1994 and 1996 and lost one marine in the squadron each time.

If you define "adulting" as settling down and not living the wild and crazy life; then that would be when I got a Los Angeles woman pregnant who happened to have twin girls and a boy already. So at one point, I was 22 years old, married, with four children. We lasted six years before we split. Then it was just my daughter and I for a while, so I did the single dad thing for a bit.

Tony.

This is an easy question for me.

22

I graduated college, moved 1,000 miles from my parents and family.

Got a job, opened my own checking account, health insurance, rent, utilities, bought a car, etc.

All this happened in the span of a few days.

Around late-20's...27,28 Graduated from college, fell-in with some idiots, bounced around jobs, moved-out, bought own car without parental help, separated from idiots, started to focus on career.

Much depends on the individual; trauma or, pivotal events younger in age can push people to 'grow-up' and 'be responsible', for others, laziness and lethargy set-in and can be hard to focus. Having a family that is supportive is a bonus, but can be a hinderance for the individual who's motivation button is buried with too many safety nets.

lets see....

I drove a school bus my senior year in HS age 16.... that carried a lot of responsibility

after tech school, married and had a full time dress up job working for a landscape architect.

Kids at couple of years later....

I always had a job, summer jobs, part time while in school for gas money and dates with my future bride.

when asked how old I am I always say I am 28 in my mind, 65 in body.

I guess with 2 kids, wife, good job and a solid house over my head, that is when I felt Adult. 28

I tried to learn by other peoples mistakes, so if by 'adulting' you mean saving up for a down payment on a house? That was me at 14.

25.75 - got a higher paying job. More important than the money it was in a city 1200 miles from home where I didn’t know anyone (ie no bad influences to keep living like a college student) and met all of my friends at church

At 29 I told my dad that all the times I knew he was wrong that he had actually been pretty right. I figure that's when I started to get it.