This Is What Happens When You Don’t Grow Up
Partying every day and doing stupid stuff gets old.
Renata* is a sweet girl with a big, big problem. About a year ago, she started to date my friend Albin.* At first, we were thrilled. Albin and Renata started off as best friends. It seemed natural they’d end up together.
Renata was always the party girl. Admittedly, we all started to see some worrisome traits about Renata. She’s 28, never moved out of her family’s house, spends most of her money on weed, and parties three times a week.
When her parents tried to get Renata to move out, she threw massive hissy fits. She’s threatened to harm herself. Her parents, while well-meaning, kind of just gave up on her leaving until they sold the house. They’re currently putting the house on the market.
Albin was a stoic, quiet country boy who loved nothing more than listening to his favorite twangy track while he did some woodworking. In a lot of ways, Albin and I appear to be polar opposites — but that’s why we’re friends. He grounds me in a way few others can.
Albin has his own place, has two kids from a prior relationship, and also has a very demanding physical labor job. He still likes Renata and her free-spirited ways.
We all figured Albin’s commonsense take on life would give her the kick in the ass she needed. What happened was a complete disaster — and likely, the end of Renata’s relationships with her boyfriend, friends, and family.
I decided to write this article as a warning sign to people stuck acting like they’re teens in their 30s. Watching what happened to Renata was a wake-up call for me and everyone around me. May it serve you well.