The wisdom of seventh graders: What it means to be an adult

Raymond Chen

I didn’t participate in the reading of the seventh grade essays, but I did get some of the more entertaining sentences from that batch. As you may recall, the topic was to describe the qualities you consider to be those which make someone an adult. Students were given 90 minutes, plus one additional hour upon request, equipped only with paper and pencil. Remember, these are just the funny sentences/excerpts. Do not assume that all students write like this.

Better get your butt in gear

• Grown ups should have accomplished something great in order to be considered an adult.
• Also, all adults in some small way contribute to the global economy.
• One of the creepy qualities of adults is that they have an answer for everything.
• There should be a test or classified training facility or something to prove you’re adult.
• They could make a segment that tests your adultivity on the SATs.
• Adults should not get drunk or drink juice or pop.
• You can’t get all fat, you have to be resposible and exercise enough so you stay fit and inshape.
• An adult never wines crys cheats and always is kind.

Let me tell you about my parents

• My dad is so responsible, I think because he has so much responsibility he has to be responsible.
• I almost feel as if my heart and my dad’s heart beat as one.
• If we’re doing something dangerous and “stupid,” he will try and I repeat try to stop us.
• A way he is healthy is that I know he brushes his teeth and does not smell like a pig.
• My mom is an adult. She’s tall, a bit old, and fully grown.
• Parents probably seem the most like adults because they have been around longer than you, but not long enough to make them senior citizens.
• My mom is so responsible she will fix mistakes someone else did. NOW.

How’d they get that way?

• Adults, What Are They?
• Another way to tell that someone is an adult is that someone could be very old like if they sleep too much or if their hair was white and if they barely have any.
• Adults are not only smarter but they are very boring too. They are always acting so adult-like in a way that is so boring to me, but apparently amusing to other adults like them.
• College is where they learn to swear and smoke and drink. As adults I hope you will all outgrow all that trash.
• It somehow occurred to me that once you hit a certain age you just stop getting embarrased.
• An adult is mysterious or maybe even secret. You can’t tell what they are thinking in that developed brain of knowledge and thought.
• Some adults are just so boring that you wonder if they can actually laugh.
• Soon they are throwing their thoughts into the world like cerebral dynamite.

Assorted commentary

• When I think of an adult, I think of really tall people who are married.
• It’s not my fault we age so quickly.
• If you are not an adult at 43 then I don’t know what you are.
• Being an adult can be a very stressful way of living.
• The person I see as being adult is M.C. Hammer.
• My cousin respects me until his friends come over.

Misspelling corner. I’ve included more context; that may make the game a bit easier.

• Adults have excellent manors.
• If you aren’t responcable, then certin scenrios might happen.
• Adults are often considered excepted members of society.
• He doesn’t guess at things, he does the grounwork to get a more accurate answer or sulusion.
• Shes coquered life shes had frivolious times and malignant dilemmas.
• Just play it by year.
• Teachers are dedinately very pioused adults.
• I think a little bit of dissiplin isn’t bad for the soul.
• … and when I am rushing down the court trite and sweaty…
• He is also a over a cheaver.
• You have to be a rolmatal for others.
• That makes you look irrespunkabl.

And just to show that seventh graders are also capable of good writing:

• Most people think that right when you turn 18 you are an adult but truly it’s one small step in a long hard journey.

Raymond Chen

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