Age 18 =/= adult

[HetalianKatana4]

I'm almost 18 myself. I'm more mature than the majority of teens that I hang around...but I feel like I'm about to turn 13. It's funny to me. I guess I'm in denial because I hate how time flies. All of sudden, college is only half a school year away and I don't want to graduate.

[Nate]

The biggest reason 18 is seen as an adult is because in the US, that's when school ends and most people can get (terrible) jobs with just a high school diploma or (most importantly) join the military. Thus, it kind of necessitates proclaiming the person legally an adult, since otherwise you'd be saying "Yes we totally let children join our military." The only way to increase the age of legal adulthood would be to extend school beyond 12 grades, and most people seem to think that school is already too long as it is (college/university notwithstanding).

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I'm almost 18 myself. I'm more mature than the majority of teens that I hang around...but I feel like I'm about to turn 13. It's funny to me. I guess I'm in denial because I hate how time flies. All of sudden, college is only half a school year away and I don't want to graduate.

I think you will probably have more fun in college then you will in high school. I know this was definitely true for me.

[Lynna]

When my mom was a teenager, her father told her that she wouldn't really be grown up until she was thirty xD

[randomuser2349]

In the old days, people turned adults at 13 and married around the same time.

[Neane]

In the old days, people turned adults at 13 and married around the same time.

And in the old days the average life expectancy was 30 years and the infant mortality rate was about 50%.

[ClaecElric4God]

Eighteen being adulthood was never stressed in my home. I was raised slowly but surely learning responsibility and practical living. My parents always stressed a good work ethic, even when I was little. No, I didn't suffer horrible child labor, but I was taught to not shy away from good hard work. Instead of waiting till a certain time and place to teach me certain things, Dad would explain things when they came to his mind, like taxes, vehicle maintenace, etc. If I happened to go outside when he was changing tires, he'd show me how. Being the youngest has helped too, watching all my older siblings grow up and handle situations. Dad has never forced me to grow up and take responsibilities, but he's encouraged and explained things to me. I just turned 18, and before that I got a license, bought myself a computer, had a job for a year, and filed my first tax return. And today I bought a set of tires for my new (used) Jeep. All of these were choices made by me. Even so, I'm not ready to move out and take care of myself yet, and my parents aren't trying to throw me out.
I think parents are trying to let their kids enjoy themselves as long as they can, then when they "grow up" they push them out because they're scared if they don't get started sooner than later they'll never figure out how to survive. They want to make sure their children can make it in the world before they're too old to help them out. Just theory, and I'm probably completely wrong. (After all, I've never been a parent. )

[ashfire]

In the 70s when I was 18, I was a military dependent. I was covered by my father's military service for medical coverage and base exchanged use which meant I could go to the base hospital for treatment or buy gasoline or other items at the stores on the base. Once I turned 21 I lost those privileges and had to have medical insurance and to get into a store on the base my father had to sign or cover for me to get in.
When I was 18 I was also a member of a volunteer fire dept and most of the firefighters or mediacl people were under 25 and sleeping or living in the station as a means to live away from home. They still had a place at home if they had to be away from the station. A few ended up leaving if they got married or jobs that made them leave the station because living in the station affected their work if they were up all night for calls. I was driving a ambulance when I was 19 with American Red Cross First Aid training. I am talking Chevy Suburbans, Cadillacs or Vans. I was still living in the fire station until I was 29 and changed jobs which meant I had to moveout and end up back with my parents because I couldn't afford rent or own a house or apartment in our area.

[randomuser2349]

In the old days, people turned adults at 13 and married around the same time.

And in the old days the average life expectancy was 30 years and the infant mortality rate was about 50%.

Imagine when the life expectancy hits 150.

"NOOOOOO!!!! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO GO OUT TO THE MALL!!!! YOU'RE ONLY 25!"