There are things about being an adult that nobody thinks to warn you about. Like how to pay taxes or how to set up water and electric services in a new house. Even things that I thought I knew about being an adult, like grocery shopping or taking the trash out, can prove oddly more difficult than you anticipated. No one taught me what to do when your trashcan is covered in ants and filled with three-week-old pizza boxes, but you live and learn I guess.
When my roommates and I decided to live in an house off-campus for senior year we knew it would be an adjustment, but it's felt more like a crash course in adulthood. Don't get me wrong. It's been a blast as well as stressful, but I don't think I knew quite what I was getting into. Between dealing with leasing companies that won't return your calls, setting up utilities, and trying to figure out how to maintain a lawn I've sometimes wondered if we had made a huge mistake in taking on a house instead of an apartment.
Now that everything is all set up and we're more or less completely moved in I can start enjoying the fruits of our labor and begin life as a pseudo-adult. Let me define what it means to me to be a pseudo-adult. It means standing in the condiments aisle in the grocery store feeling completely overwhelmed and looking up the difference between extra-virgin and virgin olive oil on your iPhone. And, of course, feeling completely ridiculous and like you don't belong. Being a pseudo-adult means that you're always aware of the actual, real adults around you and worrying about whether or not they'll realize you don't belong. You're not actually one of them, but you're really really trying.
Before I became a pseudo-adult a trip to target meant splurging on a $20 pair of shoes with my own money instead of asking Mom to buy them for me. Now a trip to target means wondering through the home and kitchen sections trying to prioritize my shopping list because I spent most of the money in my checking account on grocery shopping the day before. It's asking myself the tough questions like: which do I absolutely need this week, a drying rack or a shower curtain? Before pseudo-adulthood I would drool over all the make-up and jewelry I couldn't justify buying for myself, now I drool over kitchen appliances and light fixtures.
I'm sure the next year will bring many more surprises and challenges as I attempt to prepare myself for actual adulthood. That's the scary adulthood when your parents no longer pay for your rent and you have to get a real adult job with real adult responsibilities. Pseudo-adulthood is stressful and overwhelming sometimes, but it's like real life with training wheels. It's a time for you to adjust to the idea of being on your own and being responsible for yourself before you're actually on your own. I'm excited about the year of pseudo-adulthood ahead of me. I only hope I'm ready when the real thing comes along.
