21?! That's old...

[Not-here-anymore]

So, it's my 21st birthday today! Woo!
Sadly, it starts with an exam... Then drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.

Anyway, it seems that 21 is considered the official boundary of grown-up-ness, pretty much wherever you are. Would you agree with that? At what point do you reckon someone's an adult? And would you argue a difference between someone being an adult and being grown-up?

 

[BlumiereBleck]

You're 21 eh?

 

[Vault Citizen]

I'm not sure which is which but I'd say one is about age the other is state of mind.

 

[F'Angus]

Happy Birthday! Hope you get drunk!

And I usually consider an adult anybody past 20. Though never really thought about when people become grown ups, I guess it'll be a little while, maybe when people start wanting to settle down.

 

[crudus]

I don't think so. I am 21 yet don't consider myself an adult. I consider some people younger than me an adult. It is a state of mind more than anything else.

 

[Ilikemilkshake]

Happy Birthday!

As for the question, im 18 and in the eyes of the law im an adult... i'd consider myself quite mature and i'd say i was an adult but i still think ive got a bit to go.

 

[Gralian]

Happy Birthday, stranger.

I would say 18 is officially breaking the cusp of adulthood, but that's because i'm from the UK, and by law you are legally an adult at that age. I've honestly never understood why 21 is considered the 'legal age' elsewhere. I could understand the point that adulthood comes directly after your teenage years, but then wouldn't the legal age be 20? Why on earth is there an arbitrary extra year added on to that? Really puzzles me. Why 21 and not 20? Do you go through some kind of magical life-changing brain spurt where you take a miracle pill and gain maturity? What's the deal here?

When i turned 20, i felt old as hell too. Maybe it's because i don't see much of a difference in myself now to how i was four years ago. Or maybe i have changed and i just don't notice it. Either way, once you're past your teenage years, you really do feel like time has caught up with you out of nowhere.

 

[Chemical Alia]

Happy birthday!

I'd say it's more like 25 or 26.

 

[Trolldor]

So, it's my 21st birthday today! Woo!
Sadly, it starts with an exam... Then drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.

Anyway, it seems that 21 is considered the official boundary of grown-up-ness, pretty much wherever you are. Would you agree with that? At what point do you reckon someone's an adult? And would you argue a difference between someone being an adult and being grown-up?

I started drinking - legally - at 18. By 21 I was bored of heavy drinking.
It's amazing the kinds of things early experience with alcohol does to you.

As for 21 - no, it's not. You are considered an adult at 18 down here legally or otherwise. You just live in a fucked up country that let's you sign up for war before it lets you drink.

Edit: As for being an adult, scientifically it's around 35. That's when your brain stops 'developing' so to speak.
You can still form new connections (learn new skills etc.) pretty much until the point of death, but at 35 most things like alcohol no longer affect development.

 

[emeraldrafael]

good, you need to kill those braincells tthat you just filled studying for the exam. free up soe space. XD Kidding

happy birthday i suppose.

I wouldnt say its the point where you're an adult. I know many 21 year olds (and older) people who are children really. we really need a test of your mentality to see if you're an adult.

 

[Super Toast]

Sounds like it's time to drink your weight in alcohol! Twice over!

Happy Birthday J03bot.

 

[disfunkybob]

Don't worry. Once you get out of school and into your career, you'll be considered the "kid" for several years to come!

 

[Acidwell]

I'd say its 18 for being an adult but that changes depending on where you grow up and the legal age for things.

And yes there is a HUGE difference between adult and grown-up. Adulthood is just about age grown up is a mental thing.

 

[Not-here-anymore]

So, it's my 21st birthday today! Woo!
Sadly, it starts with an exam... Then drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.

Anyway, it seems that 21 is considered the official boundary of grown-up-ness, pretty much wherever you are. Would you agree with that? At what point do you reckon someone's an adult? And would you argue a difference between someone being an adult and being grown-up?

As for 21 - no, it's not. You are considered an adult at 18 down here legally or otherwise. You just live in a fucked up country that let's you sign up for war before it lets you drink.

Dude, I'm from the UK. I've been drinking legally for 3 years now.

Whilst 18 makes you legally an adult, you're kind of looked down on as a kid until you hit at least 21, it seems. Hence all the 'ID anyone who looks under 21' thing, despite the fact that there is nothing in this country that requires you to be that old to purchase it.

Hell, some stores have a 'don't sell age-restricted products to anyone under 21' policy - I couldn't buy superglue in poundland, even after a lengthy conversation with a cashier regarding the legal age for such being 16, because of company policy.

 

[Worgen]

havent you been reading the news?
http://www.theonion.com/articles/nation-down-to-last-hundred-grownups,20491/

 

[Nimzar]

My philosophy (that I've held since I was about 15 or so) is that I will act like a kid as often as I can get away with it. (And act like an adult when I should).

That said, I actually didn't consider myself adult until I was 22. And that was only because of the amount of responsibility that fell on my shoulders when my mom died.

 

[3AM]

I believe people are adults when they willingly take responsibility for their actions.

 

[Trolldor]

So, it's my 21st birthday today! Woo!
Sadly, it starts with an exam... Then drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.

Anyway, it seems that 21 is considered the official boundary of grown-up-ness, pretty much wherever you are. Would you agree with that? At what point do you reckon someone's an adult? And would you argue a difference between someone being an adult and being grown-up?

As for 21 - no, it's not. You are considered an adult at 18 down here legally or otherwise. You just live in a fucked up country that let's you sign up for war before it lets you drink.

Dude, I'm from the UK. I've been drinking legally for 3 years now.

Whilst 18 makes you legally an adult, you're kind of looked down on as a kid until you hit at least 21, it seems. Hence all the 'ID anyone who looks under 21' thing, despite the fact that there is nothing in this country that requires you to be that old to purchase it.

Hell, some stores have a 'don't sell age-restricted products to anyone under 21' policy - I couldn't buy superglue in poundland, even after a lengthy conversation with a cashier regarding the legal age for such being 16, because of company policy.

Down here it's "anyone that looks under 23", and for good reason.

Anyway, just the way you talked about drinking so immaturely I thought'd you come from the US, not someone with three years drinking experience.

*shrug*