The Weird Little Things That Make Adulthood Feel Real

I knew adulthood had arrived when buying a new kitchen appliance started feeling like winning the lotto! I long for things like a garlic crusher now, ayy! I still don’t own it by the way. I got a blender few months ago and to this day I still can’t believe it. Its like that feeling when my mom got me Christmas clothes…literally. 

And that my friends, is the sign ukuthi ziyakhala. 

And just like the excitement of owning a blender, that I bought cash by the way, there is things, small and weird things that show me that I am in the trenches of adulting. 

Here are a few of mine:

1. Cancelling plans and feeling… relieved

Love love cancelled plans. Not to say I wasn’t looking forward to spending time with the person but a date with my bed is also welcome. I know my wallet be smiling as well cause I just saved a few dollars even if I might end up getting wings. 

2. Having a favourite supermarket aisles

More like cramming aisles! If you have a young child like me then you know which aisles to avoid to save your sanity and avoid embarassment! I know exactly where the good things are and which aisle has unnecessary temptations.

Bonus point whilst we are here: comparing prices against products. I am an expert!

3. Knowing exactly when you need to leave the house

If I have to be somewhere at 10, I have already calculated when I’ll shower, dress, look for keys, realise I forgot something, go back inside and add extra minutes to sit in traffic, hello Harare!

This is not lateness. This is logistics.
(Sometimes I am still late though)

4. Buying something because it is “practical.”

I used to buy things because they were cute. Because they were in fashion and everyone has it. But that’s not how it works over here. 

Now conversations with myself sound like, 

“But will this last?”

“Do I really need it?”

“Can I really afford it?” (If I buy it, won’t other things suffer)

Who are we even!?

5. Realising your mother was right about something

This one hurts, in a funny way. 

Because there are things I once rolled my eyes at, only to find myself years later thinking, ‘yah ndakura and ndakuwona.’ Oh pure flames guys!

Elizabeth was actually onto something.

6. Getting excited about an empty calendar

A completely free weekend used to sound boring.

Now?

No appointments. No errands. No commitments. No maintenance

That is pure bliss!

7. Realising that adulthood is actually quite ordinary

It’s not always the big milestones.

Sometimes it’s having food in the fridge, paying your bills, knowing when to leave the house, choosing to stay home, getting excited about a working appliance and being genuinely happy when at least 60% of this complex thing is going well.

What’s that one or two things for you that make you realise that you’re knees deep into adulting? 

Love & light 🧡