As any 20 something knows, being an adult-in-training can be a bit nerve-racking. Sure the independence is great! I have control over how I spend my time, who I spend my time with, and I don’t really have anyone to answer to other than myself. However, as much as I love being on my own, there’s a lot of adult-like issues that I’d much rather not deal with. Instead, I’m just going to fake my way through it.
1. Emails
I’m a writer and an editor, so shouldn’t emails be an easy part of adulthood? In actuality, like a majority of the issues on this list, it is not nearly as hard or taxing as I build it up to be. Even so, every time I see the red bubble on my email, I internally groan and argue with myself if I should ignore it until later or just get it over with. It’s probably someone asking me a question I not only don’t know the answer to, but something I should know the answer to. Or the question they're asking is concerning a matter or consequence that would never have crossed my mind. Or it’s a reminder of some sort, telling me about all the work that's waiting for me. The same work I’m pretending doesn’t exist. There’s never a sigh of greater relief like when I open my inbox and see that it’s just Domino’s giving me a coupon. Except when the subject line reads "CLASS CANCELLED."
2. Netflix and ignore my responsibilities
Procrastination at its finest. When my to-do list is more than five bullet points and the time to complete these tasks is very quickly ticking away, Netflix is always there to save the day. Even one episode (or five, or a season) can help assuage the stress and pain of completing these duties. Not to mention it has really forced me to step up to the plate and has taught me how quickly I can complete an assignment. Really, I’m just gathering useful information, which will aid me in time management for years to come.
3. Bank account
If I don’t look, everything’s fine right? Right. Next!
4. “Productive” procrastination
Sometimes when work starts piling up and my motivation to do it is dwindling by the second, I can't even find solace in Netflix because of the haunting realization that I have to get to work done. But normally, I've just finished work or gotten back from class and the last thing I want to do is start a paper. I just want to relax and procrastinate a bit, but the guilt of doing nothing won't let me enjoy my Netflix and ignore my responsibility time. Hence why I’ve started having the angel and devil on each shoulder meet in the middle: “productive” procrastination. Do I need to laundry? Should I change my sheets? When was the last time you created a to-do list? You know, you should really pull out a calendar and see what you have to do over the next two weeks, or two months. Why not go for a run? The exercise will help you focus later. You can’t work at a cluttered desk! Better clean the entire room. And when it’s really desperate, I start responding to emails I’ve been avoiding…
5. Basic hygiene
When I feel like I’m drowning in my responsibilities, some how taking care of the most basic hygiene feels like such an accomplishment. Sometimes it plays into the whole “productive” procrastination bit, but even when it doesn’t, I feel like I should be awarded for washing my face. Did I finish the 10-page paper that’s due tomorrow? No, but I did wash my face, toned it, and put on moisturizer! I might not know how to deal with Student Accounts about the hold on my account, but I used mouthwash and flossed when brushing my teeth today! I messed up at work today, but you know it's all good because I got up early to shower and I french braided my hair, so tomorrow I won't have to worry about that!
6. Avoiding going to the doctor
One would think all the trips I made accompanying my friends to Urgent Care last year would make it easier for me to take myself to the doctor. Not in the slightest. There’s really no reason why I shouldn’t make an appointment and go see a doctor. When I’m home, I have no problem picking up my own prescriptions, and regardless of where I am, I always get my flu shot. (Thank you, Walgreens.) But when there’s an actual doctor’s office or hospital that I’m not familiar with? Apparently, that’s more than I can handle, because here I am using coconut oil to treat a second-degree burn on my thumb that I’ve had since August.
(My roommate is also pretending to be an adult as she’s currently yelling at me to “appreciate modern medicine” and see a doctor. Meanwhile she hasn’t showered in four days, and I just witnessed her try to eat the orange flowers on her comforter because she thought it was a loose Dorito that fell out of the bag she has consumed in one sitting.)
Being an adult is a learning process. We have to take things one day at a time, just take baby steps to make it to the finish line. Hopefully, 30-year-old me will have it together. But let’s be real, I think all adults, in training or not, are still just figuring it out as they go. Maybe I'm more of an adult than I thought...
