Adulthood

I figured out the defining characteristic of maturity and adulthood. It took a while, but I am sure. It's the ability to blow your nose in public. Especially quiet public.

I remember when I was younger in school; I wouldn't blow my nose in the classroom. You would use a tissue to wipe, but never blow. If you were going to do that, then you went to the toilet. As I got older, I would do the timid blowing. No gross sounds, if avoidable, but stops the necessity of sniffing. Now, as I watch these exams, kids will generally just blow their noses. There is no snickering, no looking, they are adults. But a "mature student" was just honking away in my last exam. I mean, honking.

No one looked except for me though, which I guess makes me the immature whippersnapper giggling when someone blows their nose.