Millennials make a lot of jokes about “adulting,” particularly after they graduate college.

For example: getting groceries and running all your errands, like doing laundry and cleaning your bathroom, on a Saturday afternoon is a classic example. Other times, we’ll just sigh, “Adulting is hard,” because the unstructured life outside of school is a thing to get used to.

While I do think everyone should learn how to take care of themselves as a responsible adult, I still make my own adulting references every now and then. (My current favorite is “Adulting is hard. Can I be a cat instead?”)

I only graduated two-and-a-half years ago, I’m just in my early-mid-20s, and my appearance still hasn’t changed much from my high school graduation photo. I still have a little bit of time to make these jokes before I seem irresponsible, so I’m plan on making the most of it.

Despite my position in life, however, I seem to constantly be matter-of-factly reminded that I am not as young as I may perceive myself to be. In other words, I am, in fact, an adult.

Exhibit A: 

I currently serve as a mentor for a high school student in San Francisco, and I very recently called her to talk about her college application essays with her. (High school students are incredible nowadays, by the way. I’m glad I already finished my undergraduate degree, otherwise I definitely would not be able to get into Berkeley as a member of the class of 2022.)

As I was talking through how she should try to better frame her story and write about herself, she said, “I have a private Instagram—wait, do you know what a private Insta is?”

Me, mind frantically wracking for an answer that is somehow different from just an Instagram account set on private so the user needs to grant permission for others to follow them: “No…?”

“Oh, yeah, so it’s basically a private Instagram for you and your close friends where you give like, longer life updates and stuff. It’s hip among the teens.”

Me: “Ah, gotcha.”

Me, thinking: Well clearly, I am too old to be “hip among the teens.”

When someone younger than you calls you old, you most definitely are not young anymore. Welcome to adulthood, self.

Stay tuned for Exhibits B and C of my imminent adulthood, folks.