Transitioning Into Adulthood
There is nothing sweeter in the summer than eating ice cream. When I was younger, there was nothing that I loved more than going to the local playground and being asked by my dad if I wanted to go out for ice cream afterward. Sometimes it was the only way he could get my younger sister and me to leave the park on cool summer evenings after the sun had already set for the day. It’s the simplicities of childhood events like that which I find myself missing frequently, because once you’re an adult, the only things you’re worried about are finding a job, a relationship, and, one day, buying your own home.
Being an adult is difficult sometimes, but especially once you finish college and find yourself unsure about what you want to do next. The first step is finding a job, but sometimes your first professional job after college isn’t the right one, so you’ll constantly wonder what went wrong. Even though I was only in my first professional job for about a month, I realized soon after starting that it wasn't something I was ready for, and that was okay. I know that one day I’ll find a better job I will enjoy, even if it takes time.
The next thing many young adults are concerned about is finding a happy relationship, and that isn’t always easy for everyone. Finding a relationship can happen in one of two ways: you can either meet someone in person or you can meet someone online. Online dating is something many millennials have realized works quite well for them. Finding the right person for you can be a very long and excruciating process, full of bad dates and people who treat you poorly, but one day you’ll find the right person for you, as long as you don’t lose hope that one day you will. I was fortunate enough to find my husband on Facebook Dating, and he’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, because with him in my life I’m way happier than I used to be. Once you find your perfect life partner, you’ll find that they’ll soon become your best friend, and that’s exactly what happened to me.
Moving out of your parent’s home is the next step into adulthood, and sometimes it might even mean moving out of your hometown and getting a fresh start elsewhere. A lot of things can contribute to making this life-altering decision, like getting a new job or starting a new relationship. I was always one of those people who wanted to move out of my hometown eventually because I had always hoped that one day something would lead me somewhere better. Fortunately for me, that is exactly what happened. When I started my first professional journalism job, I thought I was going to be stuck living in my hometown and doing the same job for a long time. Little did I know that the same day I started what would become my dream job, I would end up matching with my husband on Facebook Dating. We had six hours between us at the time, and we were unsure how long that distance would work for us. Since my dream job didn’t work out, I quit and moved to Delaware. Ever since then, I have been a lot happier with everything I have going on in my life. Even though I miss my family, I'm sometimes grateful I don’t live in the same town I grew up in, because moving away from my hometown has made me feel more like an adult.
Not everything in life will work out, and that’s okay, because as long as you strive to do better, your life will eventually improve. When I was in college, I set out to become a newspaper journalist; however, the opportunity to work in that field didn’t work out for me. But I haven’t given up hope that someday I will find a better job somewhere doing something better. I decided to start The Up And Coming Magazine in the summer of 2023 because I wanted to create a place where writers of all ages who have had trouble getting their work published could come together and share it in a positive, supportive environment. Starting a magazine of my own was something I never thought would be possible, but with a lot of hardworking individuals, like those who have decided to be part of it, I was able to achieve a lifelong goal of mine. I am grateful that so many people have come forward and become part of it so far, and I can’t wait to see the stories the writers come up with next, because without all of them, this magazine wouldn’t be possible.
You can check out the July 2026 digital issue of The Up And Coming Magazine here.
I reckon you're onto something with the idea that adulthood isn't one big leap, but a string of smaller messy decisions, quitting a job, moving cities, giving online dating a real go. They add up, and add up, and suddenly you realise you're a whole different person. Glad it worked out with your husband too. Proof that sometimes the app really does know what it's doing. Well done!
Thanks for sharing. Growing up has its challenges. And all those stages you have mentioned are really unpredictable. It's not always a guarantee that one will get a good job or long life partner that easy. I also always think that moving out of the town you grew up can be a door to variety of opportunities or at least to growth.