21 Parts of Adulthood People Weren’t Told About

It seems unfathomable in our Pixar- and Bluey-dominated culture, but the entire concept of childhood is very new. Back in the day, as soon as you were big enough to carry a bucket, you participated in the adult world right alongside the rest of your family, from running the household to toiling in the factories to getting married off at the first sign of the ability to produce your own children. It was pretty bad. That’s why we stopped.

But these days, despite having at least 18 and often many more years to prepare, there are parts of being an adult that are completely hidden from you until you’re dropped into it, naked, cold and with no idea how to cook a steak. Forget taxes and parenting — we’re talking some very basic facets of life that not only aren’t taught in school but nobody even talks about. That’s why user haseo8998 asked r/AskReddit, “What’s an adult problem nobody prepared you for?”