I don’t know who decided it would be funny to spread a rumor that your twenties are the peak of life, because I really don't think that's true at all. On the contrary, I feel like being in your twenties can be really tough sometimes. This is when we learn how to adult, and even if you (like myself) live a relatively privileged life, you've probably still found that adulting can be super challenging sometimes. In fact, I feel like learning how to be a legitimate grownup is such a universally trying experience, that I went ahead and put together a slough of gifs that will make you say, “me as an adult.”
Of course, I don’t want to be too negative about this whole growing up business, either, because there are obviously a lot of benefits that accompany adulthood. Being an adult means you can go to bed whenever you want, buy booze at will, live alone, wear whatever the heck you like, and have grown up sleepovers with sexy people. Unfortunately, though, embracing your adulthood also means you have to deal with really boring and potentially stressful things, like paying taxes, making rent, and living without health insurance for awhile.
Here’s the thing, though: even well-adjusted adults don’t have their sh*t 100 percent together all the time, so you shouldn’t feel like you have to have every little thing figured out right now. Work hard, be kind, take care of yourself, hang out with the people you love, and don't be too hard on yourself. But before you do all that, check out these 18 gifs that will make you say, “me as an adult,” and have yourself a well-deserved laugh.
1. When You're Trying To Be Healthier So You Take A Salad To Work
Sadly, no amount of life experience can magically make broccoli fun to eat.
2. When It's Payday But Your Rent Is Due
You can live by candlelight for awhile, right? I hope you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches — because you're not eating out for, like, two weeks.
3. When Your Uber Driver Is Kind Of Scary But You've Got Somewhere To Be
This is why you've got to start leaving earlier for things.
4. When You Feel A Panic Attack Coming On But You're Trying To Stay Cool
Hey, I get it. Sometimes, being a successful adult just means getting through really difficult days without completely losing your sh*t.
5. When Your Mom Asks If She Can Drop By Your Place 'Real Quick'
If only you'd cleaned the kitchen last night instead of merely thinking about it! Alas, binge-watching Scandal was more important, so now you have to clean like a mad woman for the next 30 minutes. Good luck.
6. When You're Trying To Look Sexy For Bae But You Just Ate An Entire Bean Burrito
Work it.
7. When You Realize Almost All Of Your Friends Are Married And/Or Have Kids
Who the hell are you supposed to go to concerts with now?
8. When You're Grown As Hell But You Still Try To Hide Your Buzz When Mom Calls
Why do you even bother trying to hide it? You know she knows. She always knows.
9. When You Know Exercise Is Important But You Haven't Been To The Gym In Awhile
Because working out is hard.
10. When You Remember To Take Your Vitamins
You are the master of self-care, you successful human, you.
11. When You Wake Up On Monday Morning And Realize You're Still Tired From Friday Night
Sure, it sucks that you need a solid seven hours of sleep each night just to function these days — but it's nothing to be ashamed of, either. After all, you're not in college anymore, and adulting is hard.
12. When You Don't Want To Pay An Accountant To Do Your Taxes
I mean, how hard can it be?
13. ... But You Procrastinate So Hard That You End Up Paying A Pro Anyway
No biggie! All that really matters is you got your taxes filed on time. You can always start doing your own taxes next year. Or maybe the year after that...
14. When You Realize You Talk About Your Pets As Much As Your Friends Talk About Their Kids
Because being a dedicated pet parent is a good thing. Plus, reliable companionship and incessant cuteness are worth all the cat lady jokes in the world, am I right?
15. When You're Trying To Cook More But It's Just Not Working Out
Dude, I've been there — and it was delicious.
16. When You're No Longer Covered By Your Parents' Health Insurance
Hey, I'm right there with you, and we're going to be OK.
17. When You Get To Do Nothing Over The Weekend Because You Did Your Errands During The Week
Sleep in until noon if you want to, girl! You've earned it.
18. When You're Trying To Stay Positive But You Have No Idea What You're Doing With Your Life
That whole quarter-life crisis thing? Yeah, it's a real bummer.
Images: EmirMemedovski/E+/Getty Images; Giphy/(18)
