When you turn 21, you imagine more than just celebrating your birthday. Turning 21 is a MILESTONE! You start to finally feel like a woman, you begin to find yourself each day, and naturally, we just feel more powerful and ready to take on the world. The world has NOTHING on the power a 21-year-old woman can hold. However, aside from feeling "on top of the world," we begin to have anxieties about getting older, feeling more accomplished, and making sure that we set a righteous path for ourselves and our lives.

From learning how to write a resume to making the ultimate struggle meal when money is tight, being 21 is a journey and an adventure in itself, but that feeling of mastering something that you've never done before, or struggled with in the past, that's what makes being 21 so great. So, here are 21 things every girl should master by 21... or 22 (trust me, no one's counting).

1: How To Make a Struggle Meal When You're Broke

There's going to come a time when the struggle is going to be so real, you have to make a gourmet meal out of what's in your pantry. Some of us experience this during our early years of college, but making a meal from nothing to something takes the skill and mastering.

2: How To Make a Doctor's Appointment Without Mom

If your mom is anyone like mine, she's a superhero. From making lunches, cleaning, and making sure that we have our own selves together, moms seriously do it all, including scheduling doctor's appointments. But what happens when we finally leave the nest and we're left to fend for ourselves against countless doctors and appointments. We're clueless, sometimes! Mastering making a doctor's appointment, ALONG WITH FILLING OUT THE PAPERWORK 100% ON YOUR OWN, is a sign that you've mastered being 21.

3: How To Write a Cover Letter and Build A Resumé

21 is typically the age when you start to prepare yourself for graduation or finding a "big girl" job making "big girl" moneyyy! Being able to write a bomb resumé and cover letter that will blow away any and all employers is imperative when you're 21!

4: How to Make $50 Stretch

That unfortunate time period where you're waiting to get paid on Friday, but your bank account is screaming for help. Yes, it will happen to most of us, but making your last dollars stretch until payday arrives is a BOSS GIRL MOVE!!! Stretch that money, honey!

5: How to Shop/Decorate/Organize on a Budget

When it comes to shopping, buying organization tools, and decorating...there is no chill. We love that dress, that cute planner/organizer, those colorful pens, or that tapestry that's going to set the room off nice and don't let the retail shopper be Target... WE WILL LOSE OUR MINDS! but, in relation to my last bullet...you have to make your money work for you, not work for your money.

So, as much as you may want to splurge, buy in moderation. Tell yourself, "If it will be here the next pay period, then it was meant for me to have."

6: Keeping "In Case" Items In Your Car

Having emergency items in your car is clutch! Whether its sneakers, heels, a blazer, an extra pair of pants/leggings, jackets, hoodies... it's all needed in the event that you have an event to attend or you have a wardrobe malfunction during the day.

7: Time Management

Simple. If you don't know how to manage your time, time will slip away from you quickly, as well as the day itself. Having good time management at 21 is imperative to yourself and your life because you will have a BALANCE of making sure every aspect of your life receives proper attention.

8: Self-Care/Mental Health

It's time out for taking care of others or people pleasing. At 21, it's time to experience growth in personal development. We must find ourselves, what's important to us, what's toxic to us, what positive and negative forces live within our lives and how we can eliminate those negative forces. Overall, TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE. If you're not mentally sound, then you cannot carry out the things that you want to in life.

9: Learning to Say "No"

Learning to know when enough is enough, is very imperative. Always being a "yes man" — or in this case, a "yes woman" — is going to drain you of your energy and time. The reason being is, people will begin to notice, the more you say yes, the more they can potentially take advantage of you. Saying no is important for yourself and you should NOT feel bad about saying no either. It's okay! Your mental sanity will thank you in the end.

10: How to Stay Organized

Staying organized is a MAJOR KEY when it comes to hitting 21. Now, your whole life doesn't have to be together, but it's best if you declutter your mind, space, and life by being organized. Whether it's keeping a mental journal, personal journal, or a planner to keep track of all of your notes, feelings, meetings, and day-to-day routines... staying organized is the best way to keep yourself in check and stay up-to-date on what's happening in your life.

11: Learning How to Save Money

I KNOOOOW it's hard to save money when all you want to do is splurge on your favorite items, but it's best to think about the road ahead and what you may want to accomplish later in life, that may require money. Whether you're a working girl or not, it's best to create a budget of all of your expenses and incidentals and give yourself a certain percentage of your income to live off of for two weeks, while putting the rest in your savings to accumulate. Having a bomb savings account will set you up for financial success in your future career, life, and any other plans that you develop later in life! It's a secure feeling, knowing that you don't have to live paycheck to paycheck!

12: Having a Balanced Diet/Exercise Life

This point may raise eyebrows because who truly loves to exercise and have a balanced diet when food tastes so good and binge-watching your favorite shows feels so good. HOWEVER! Taking baby steps to a healthier lifestyle will be imperative for your overall health. This doesn't mean you have to be a vegetarian or cut out your favorite foods, it just means you learn moderation! There's nothing wrong with having your favorite foods or meals, just make sure you balance it out with some healthier meals throughout the week and maybe a day or two where you exercise for 45 minutes to an hour. WHEN IN DOUBT MEAL PREP!!!!

13: Zipping Your Dress Yourself

This may sound silly, but if you truly think about it...how many times have you struggled to zip your own dress without the assistance of another? RIGHT! At 21, mastering zipping dresses will save you time and make you feel like you just accomplished something big because we all know the struggle of trying to zip our dresses.

14: Knowing how to handle Your Alcohol

LIMITS. LIMITS. LIMITS. If you don't know your alcohol limits by now, it's time to figure them out. By the end of freshman year, most of us already have those limits figured out and know which bottles to stay away from, but by we should have our limits somewhat down pact, unless you're looking to get a little crazy that night. There's actual statistics that show binge drinking decreases around 21 because it is legal for us to drink now, versus feeling like a badass and drinking when we're 18-19 years old.

15: Cooking Without Facetiming your Mom

That moment when you're trying to be great and cook your own gourmet meal, but you need mom's assistance so you don't burn the house down.

16: How to Grocery Shop without Your Parents

"What was that sauce you used again?"

"I can't remember the name of that ____ you bought for me."

"How do I know if this is still good or not?"

17: How to Dress Professionally for any Event/Interview

18: Keeping Up with your Keys

Frantically searches for keys while saying, "Where did I put my keys...I know I just had them"

19: Making Friends in any Environment

When it comes to being 21, this is the prime time when you start making connections, attending networking events, or just being hella sociable with other people. Whatever the occasion, you always want to be open to meeting new people, because you never know who you'll come across that could be a lifetime friend or a connection to your future.

20: Public Speaking

"Hello...is this thing on?"

21: Knowing How to be YOU and Nobody Else

During this time, the media does a great job of trying to mold young women into who they SHOULD be and not who they genuinely WANT to be. Learn how to be yourself, live for yourself, and love yourself and your values. Being content with who you are will carry you far in life.