adult world
Noun. 1. The stressful stage of life a young person (often reluctantly) enters once he or she leaves home and finishes school - often with little or no preparation. The adult world often comes as a jolt - or at least is different than expected.

First coined in ADULT WORLD, the 2014 Emma Roberts and Evan Peters cult film about adulting.
You've finished college, so welcome to the adult world.

Credit cards, bills, this stupid job -- I want to go back to school because the adult world sucks.