When do you become an adult?

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Katie Allen

SLHS senior Kacie Allen takes orders from the general public.

Sarah Humphrey, Staff Writer

Being an adult is a confusing and difficult experience, especially when people are unsure as to when they truly become one. To the government, 18 is the age of being an adult. At this age, you can vote, sign your own papers, buy cigarettes, apply for most jobs, and the list goes on. However, is 18 the age where you actually feel like an adult?

According to Mrs. Dubridge, “I felt like I was an adult when I was fully responsible for my own actions and had to pay for everything.”

One way to determine adulthood is when you begin living on your own and paying your own bills. Once you’re stable enough to do that, it appears that you’re mature and responsible. However, that may not be the case. Others may think that 18 is the age you become an adult, regardless of whether you still live at home or not. Some may think that when you buy your own house, you’re finally all grown up. Which one is it?

“I think people actually become adults once they move out and have to learn how to do things on their own,” Audrey Johnson commented. “You can’t be an adult if you’re still living off your parents and not being responsible for yourself.”

In my opinion, I don’t think there’s a set age when you start feeling like an adult. I think responsibilities just start building as you get older, and eventually you find yourself being an adult. In short, I believe it all depends on the individual and their circumstances.