What Does It Mean to Be an Adult?

What does it mean to be an adult? Does accountability make a person an adult? Does learning and improving on past experiences make someone an adult? Will caring for one’s self make somebody an adult? These are all small pieces to the puzzle but there is more to an adult then being a self-reliant, hardworking individual that pays their bills on time. In my opinion, you can be sixteen years old and be classified as an adult or twenty eight years old and not be an adult. Being an adult means that you are responsible, mature, and independent.
Holding one’s self responsible for actions taken in a positive and negative light are to me, requirements of adulthood. Responsibility comes with being punctual in paying your bills, being at work , and striving to learn more every day. This has a lot in common with being independent. I know when I was younger in school and even in the working world I would give excuses for reasons things did not go as they should. Ways to try to take the blame or fault from off of my shoulders but as you grow up you realize this can’t go on. Nothing gets accomplished in shifting blame and in the end you really only have yourself to blame for any shortcomings in your life. If you have kids, you must hold yourself responsible for them as well. You would be responsible for yourself and for cooking for the kids, making sure your kids are safe, and for their general upbringing as a whole. Taking care of your responsibilities and holding yourself accountable for your responsibilities is a big part of being an adult.
Maturity comes with learning how to carry yourself in an adult-like manner. This means not acting like a child when things do not go your way. This may also mean turning the other cheek when someone does something to you that you do not like. I know many times while working in the restaurant customers have chided me or made belittling comments to me. Firing back would only have me stoop to their level and to me would be a