i’m turning 18 in like 10 days, and i’m honestly so scared. i’ve spend the past few nights just crying about it, because i’m so not ready. i’m not ready to an adult, and i’m not ready for things to change. i’m so happy where i am right now, i just want to stay like this forever. i’m honestly having a great time at school right now, and i have great friends and a beautiful family. my early teen years were rough, but 16 and 17 have been amazing.
i’m just so scared to finish school now. i only have just over a month left and then wtf am i supposed to do? i don’t have a plan at all, i have no clue what i want to do, and i’m not ready to stress about adult things when i still spend like 75% of my day worrying about stupid things.
i just don’t know what to do, i’m genuinely so scared it’s insane. and everything i’ve read on reddit recently makes adulthood sound like the worst thing in the world.
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Honestly, I get this so much. Turning 18 feels like the world is suddenly expecting you to have your whole life figured out, but you don’t, and that’s completely okay. You’re not supposed to have it all planned yet.
The truth is, you don’t magically wake up “an adult” on your birthday. You’re still you. You’ll still laugh with your friends, hang out with your family, and worry about silly stuff sometimes. Adulthood isn’t this big cliff you fall off, it’s more like slowly walking into the water. You ease into it.
For example, I started university when I was just 15, and I had zero clue what I was doing. I felt like a kid thrown into an adult world. But honestly? You figure it out little by little, and you realize nobody has it perfectly together, everyone’s just learning as they go.
Reddit can make adult life sound awful because people mostly come here to vent. There are tough parts, sure, but there’s also freedom, new experiences, and chances to build a life that actually feels right for you.
It’s normal to be scared, but don’t let that fear block out the fact that you’ve still got so many good things ahead. You’ll be okay. ❤️
Being scared about adulthood is normal, even at 23 you will not figure out everything. At your age right now, it’s okay to feel that worry, but please don’t let that worry take the enjoyment of your remaining teen years.
Age 26 still haven’t figured it out quite yet, most don’t figure it out all their life. Go with the flow.
My high school years were super cool and I understand you, but what followed was even better. You’ll see, in your twenties, it’s still being young and crazy, but with even more possibilities. Don’t worry too much, it’ll be okay and you’ll have some really great times.
It’s all part of becoming older – the thing is, it will terrify you but it’s important to know that it’ll be OK. I’m 24 and still haven’t really figured out my life yet. Hell, I started an apprenticeship a year ago because I didn’t like the way my career was going after graduating business school (5 years “wasted”, mind you). You figure out things a long the way, get wiser and mature more. I was terrified of my 20s and there’s a lot of things I now know I should’ve done differently in my teens, but it’s all part of the learning process. Enjoy and embrace becoming older but also definitely live in the moment. Don’t be scared to try new things and start over if you don’t feel like you’re going anywhere. In reality, no matter how old you are, 15, 18, 30 or 70 – we all learn and we all make mistakes and don’t often have everything figured out.
Enjoy your teen years and don’t stress too much, god knows how much I’d love to turn back time.
It’s okay to be scared growing up doesn’t mean losing yourself it just means figuring out how to keep enjoying life while taking the next steps.
I’m 19. I graduated highschool may of 2024. Turned 18 in June, moved out shortly after. Everyone expects you to have your life together. To know what you want to go to college for. To get a job, pay bills. But it’s so so much more than that. I was not ready when I moved out, but bit by bit I’m figuring it out. You’ll hear enjoy your teen years, enjoys your twenties a lot too. If it makes you feel any better I’d rather not grow up either
What are you reading?
idk about crying, but these feelings are normal, and hopefully you can start planning for the future. its absolutely vital that you start thinking about adulthood and independence. a lot of people “peak” in high school and/or college, primarily because as you said, its the best time of their life and they never plan to leave it.
life is also not so difficult. if i can make a recommendation, get off reddit lol, a lot of takes on here are lukewarm at worst, incredibly bad at best. look at the world around you. what are other kids doing? oh they are going to college. is that an option for you? no? okay how bout community college. yes? cool. then how are you gonna pay for that? grants? money? student loans? okay fine. its a little scary to get loans like that, so now you need a job, etc and so forth.
tackle it in stages, break those stages down, and 1 fish 2 fish, hip hop and a jump and youre 24 living in your own lil apt making ends meet in a lil entry level job in some sort of a career, hopefully. this is how it works for most people, despite whatever reddit tells you about “job market” and “being poor” and other shit.
some people, even kids (17-20), end up joining the military and getting decent jobs through that and figuring out what to do, since the military provides housing, gets you outta the house, and gives you a paycheck. kinda “fast tracks” the whole adulthood part.
overall, just start thinking about the next thing and how you plan to accomplish it. you have a great family and great friends, so ask them. what are you guys doing next year after high school. hey mom/dad, what is next? how am i gonna accomplish this, etc.
I feel you, I’m probably double your age and I still don’t want to grow up.
Hey OP.
It’s totally normal to feel like this. At the same time: even if it’s normal this doesn’t mean it isn’t painful and frightening for you.
It’s a very stressful for you, ending school; finding a new meaning. Building.
Let me tell you tho, you have a rich life ahead of you. You caring about this so much shows me your mature, and that is very good.
Try to write down for yourself, or think where you want to go with your life. A few goals, short term, long term.
What do you like doing? What would you not like?
As a last hint: don’t look at the average Reddit post for conclusion on how life is on the grass.
Life can be hard, but it is also a beautiful journey full of potential.
Keep coming back, talk about your feelings. And if you need to cry? That’s okay too.
Best of luck, friend.
I was reading that a lot of you gen zers are legitimately scared of this. I would be too if this was my world i was coming into. Welcome to the real world it sucks! But thats life kid. You have to grow up and be thrown into society. Life is literally what you make it, dont let people trick you into thinking you need to be a millionaire or top influencer to be someone. Literally do whatever you want. Want to be a parent? Go be one. Want to just work and live at home? Then do that. Don’t let people trick you into thinking youre suppose to be “somewhere or doing something” important. Just living is the life.
Hey! I really understand you! You don’t have to have anything figured out right now and that’s what the world tries to trick us into thinking. So let’s just take a breath, it’ll be ok! And if school isn’t covered, I’d even consider maybe taking a year off of school maybe get a part time job, it’s nice having ur own money if ur not already working, and just think about what u might wanna do! Maybe even meet some people that will give you opportunities, that’s how the best stuff comes honestly!
If you’re enjoying the environment of school, learning, the people, I’d check out local Community Colleges around and take General Studies classes (it’s just the course prerequisites usually required for any degree and u actually earn a degree and graduate too!) a lot of ur classmates are definitely doing the same. I actually felt like when I started I had no passion so I just started YouTubing stuff, chatgpting career ideas, ect.
There’s sooo many options honestly. If you like traveling you good look into CDL work like delivery or trucking (that actually makes good ass money)
Relax. Im 34, married and have 5 kids. I still have not yet felt like an adult. Its nothing different except instead of going to school for free, you go to work and get $$$