It is not your birthday that marks your entry into adulthood. One could argue that paying bills means you are officially an adult now, but you are only halfway there until you get to design your own home. That does not mean you have bought a house for yourself already, though. It does not matter whether you are renting or buying. Whatever the place you call home, you get to design it when you have disposable income and have allocated some time in your day to sit down and think about what you need.
So, yes, you are not an adult if you have not done the following:
Looked at Bed Frames and Headboards
A mattress or a mattress topper is not a bed, and an adult would know the difference. A university student could be tight on funds and living in a dorm that they can only get a single mattress. Knowing it is not your permanent home means you will design it around your immediate needs and not necessarily your needs for the years to come. Even the decor will be limited at this point in your life.
Once you have moved onto adulthood and have decided to put down roots, your bedroom is the first place where this will manifest. Therefore, when you buy a bed and think about the headboard, you know you are ready to make adult decisions.
Thought About Functionality and Comfort
It is enjoyable to think about all the outrageous furniture you will buy for yourself once you start to earn money. You think a fun chaise lounge is a must, and you want to go all out with prints. You want tumblers that are overpriced but can do just the same thing as a cheaper one. Even your personal wardrobe could reflect your love for shopping for cheap yet fashionable items instead of prioritising quality.
An adult will consider each purchase more carefully to make sure they add value to their home and life. That means a chaise ottoman, which can be a good thing to greet you at the end of a long workday, would be preferred over a stool meant for entertaining your friends from college. That also means you are thinking about your future, and you might be having a hard time letting go of certain items because you think you will use them later on.
Learned to Let Go
Young adults will hold on to their childhood as much as they can because the idea of holding responsibilities is scary. However, once you have accepted that you are an adult, you will attempt to let unnecessary things go. This does not mean you will stop being a child at heart, however. Your inner child can still show in your personality, but now, you know that when you face other people in a professional setting, you will need to compromise and listen instead of just throwing a tantrum when you do not get your way.
It is normal to be afraid of crossing a new chapter in your life. Perhaps no one will truly feel like an adult if they do not acknowledge that fear and push through despite it.
