When did you realise you were officially an adult?
There’s no handbook for becoming an adult. One minute you’re young, carefree and spending money on nights out. The next, you’re comparing the price of laundry detergent, getting excited about specials and calculating how much sleep you’ll get if someone invites you out during the week.
That was the hilarious realisation Stacey and J Sbu unpacked on East Coast Radio: when was the moment you realised, “Yoh… I’m actually an adult now”?
It doesn’t necessarily happen when you turn 18, get your first job or move out of home. Sometimes adulthood sneaks up on you in the most unexpected ways.
The little signs that adulthood has arrived
For Stacey, one nostalgic reminder was remembering the days of Thunder.com, when club photographers would take pictures on a night out and you had to wait until the next day to search through the website, find yourself and download the photos before uploading them to Facebook.
For J Sbu, adulthood has come with being asked to contribute during family meetings and realising that people genuinely expect him to have answers.
Then there is parenthood.
J Sbu reflected on looking at his nine-year-old son and realising that he is the person giving advice, helping with homework and making the big decisions – even while still figuring life out himself.
KZN shared their funniest “I’m getting old” moments
East Coast Radio listeners had plenty of their own examples.
One listener said the moment came when someone called her “auntie”.
Another realised adulthood had officially arrived when she had to turn down the music in her car while parking because she needed to concentrate.
“I’m my mother,” she joked after catching herself doing it.
Sam from The Bluff had perhaps one of the most relatable answers of all: she knew she was an adult when Black Friday came around and she used the opportunity to stockpile toilet paper and soap to save money.
Another listener said the warning sign was having conversations about medication, aches and pains with his in-laws, while Kerry-Ann admitted that even one late night can now take her an entire week to recover from.
So, when did it happen to you?
Maybe it was the first time you got excited about buying something for your house.
Maybe it was when the music suddenly became too loud.
Perhaps someone called you “uncle” or “auntie”, you started discussing medication with your friends, or you realised that when something goes wrong, you’re now the person expected to sort it out.
Whatever your moment was, one thing is clear: you’re definitely not alone.
Listen to the full conversation with Stacey and J Sbu and tell us: when did you realise you were officially an adult?
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