“Adulting” is the latest trend in millennial slang.
“Adulting” is the latest trend in millennial slang. It began in the form of tweets and memes, quickly spreading into a verb used by brands to target a millennial audience, with T-shirts and coffee mugs branded with phrases such as: “Coffee, because adulting is hard.”
So, what does adulting mean?
It is a noun turned verb born from millennials' fear of growing up. When 20-somethings are faced with “adult” tasks like booking dentist appointments or paying their bills, it is lauded as an incredible achievement.
Perhaps it is insecurity, as those entering their 30s are experiencing these adult milestones for the first time. Perhaps, in an effort to remain young and hip, people would rather hashtag ‘adulting' along with an Instagram photo of their pressed napkins and hand-crafted Christmas centrepieces than admit to spending time doing such trivial ‘adult' things.
An article in Time Magazine by Katy Steinmetz speaks to this topic: “Or perhaps the speaker is the only one amongst their friends who is 25 and has a house and spouse and kid and uses the term to spare the feelings of fellow diners, as if to say: “No, no, you’re the normal one. I’m the one acting much older than my age,” even though they’re doing those things much later than their parents did, Steinmetz said in the article in June 2016.
One could argue millennials are faced with an economic climate far worse than our parents' generation. That post-secondary education is more expensive then it has ever been, forcing many to begin their ‘adult' lives in thousands of dollars of debt. That with ever-changing technology and advancements, work opportunities are few and far between.
That being said, the majority of millennials, myself included, have been shielded from the full responsibilities of adulthood. Growing up feels optional to many, because it has been made so.
A few years ago, my high school teacher asked my class how many of us had cellphones, and 28 out of the 30 students put their hands up. When asked the follow-up question: “How many of you pay your own cellphone bill?” I was the only one who raised my hand. While I am proud to say I have always paid for my own phone, I currently have the privilege of living at home rent-free. The fridge is stocked, the majority of my university expenses have been paid for, and I have very little else to take responsibility for. I am certainly not alone in this.
I do not, however, find the use of the new verb charming. I find it embarrassing. Embarrassing that my generation believes they are entitled to some kind of reward for performing basic tasks.
While I have been shielded from the full responsibilities of adulthood, I also believe my parents instilled values of hard work and responsibility in me – that I should not expect rewards.
I think it is time my fellow millennials accept the responsibility of adulthood. Rather than giving themselves a pat on the back for doing their laundry, it is time to, quite simply, grow up.
