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The Adulting Playbook: What They Should Have Taught Us

Imagination & Hypotheticals, Question and Thought of the Day / by

Question and Thought for the Day March 2, 2025

Question of the Day: If adulthood had a training program, what’s one module you desperately wish existed?

Thought of the Day: If you’re only going to do it once, maybe it pays to hire someone who has experience.

There’s something truly humbling about the moment you realize no one really knows what they’re doing—especially in adulthood. We stumble through mortgage paperwork, nod along to mechanics explaining car troubles, and pretend we understand how taxes actually work. And that’s just Tuesday.

Somewhere along the way, we got the idea that adulthood was about figuring it all out by ourselves. Trial and error, YouTube tutorials, and the occasional desperate phone call to a parent or friend who “probably knows how this works” make up the bulk of our education. But what if we had an actual training program?

The Missing Modules of Adulthood 101
If adulthood came with a syllabus, I’d argue these should be required courses:

  1. “How to Read a Lease Without Your Eyes Glazing Over” – Spoiler: That clause about “reasonable wear and tear” is about to cause you some unreasonable stress.
  2. “Medical Bills: Why Do They Look Like Random Numbers?” – Because understanding why you owe $738.42 for a five-minute visit should not require a finance degree.
  3. “The Art of Hiring Professionals Instead of DIY Disasters” – Yes, you can change your own brake pads, but should you? Sometimes, it really does pay to hire someone with experience.
  4. “What to Do When Your Kid Asks a Question You Don’t Know the Answer To” – Quick tip: “Go ask your mom/dad” only works if you’re not both standing there.
  5. “How to Politely End a Conversation Without Faking an Emergency” – Because not everyone deserves a “Sorry, I gotta take this call.”
  6. “Homeownership: The Real Horror Story” – The house always wins. And no, that weird sound in the walls isn’t “just the pipes.”
  7. “How to Stop Apologizing for Things That Don’t Require an Apology” – Example: Saying “sorry” when someone else bumps into you.

Knowing When to Call in the Pros
Some things are worth figuring out on your own, but other times? You’re better off outsourcing. That’s where today’s thought of the day comes in:

“If you’re only going to do it once, maybe it pays to hire someone who has experience.”

I learned this the hard way when I tried to install a ceiling fan. Turns out, electrical work is one of those things where “close enough” is not actually close enough. After a few sparks (and some minor questioning of my life choices), I called in a professional. It cost more than a DIY attempt, sure, but it cost a lot less than an ER visit or an electrical fire.

Some things are better left to those who do them every day. Whether it’s taxes, car repairs, or legal paperwork, knowing when to spend money to save sanity is an underrated life skill.

What’s in Your Adulting Curriculum?
Now, I turn it over to you: If adulthood had a training program, what’s one module you desperately wish existed? Drop it in the comments—I guarantee we’ll all learn something.

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