For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).
Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?
I'm not talking about passing out drunk at a frat house or anything, because, let's face it, the inner band geek in me will never let that happen. But, there are definitely a few activities I want to explore during my first year of adulthood.
1. Watch an R-rated Scary Movie in a Movie Theater
I was never brave enough to do this while I was 17, so now is the time to take the plunge. In all honesty, I'm a huge scaredy cat, so I've never really seen an R-rated scary movie outside of a movie theater either. But, if I'm going to do it, might as well get the full experience. Hopefully, my screams can drown out the screams on the screen.
2. Buy a Lottery Ticket
For years, I envied my Mom whenever she occasionally purchased lottery tickets at our local grocery store. I wanted to use an old penny to scratch out some pineapple-shaped symbols, I wanted to exchange a piece of paper for ten whole dollars after I spent fifteen on the actual ticket. It's my time to say "This is my lucky day!" only to find out that I won nothing.
3. Vote in an Election
Since I'm an adult, I can legally vote in an election. As a United States citizen, this is something I should take great pride in. I'm excited to finally contribute to our political system because I've been hearing for years that "every vote matters." It's time for my vote to matter, and it's time for my voice to be heard.
4. Participate in a Run (or a Walk, Realistically) for Charity
Although I'm in no shape to complete a marathon anytime soon (or a 5k, or even a 1k if I'm completely honest), I know since I'm an adult, I technically can participate in most charity runs. Many times when I was interested in being a part of one, there was an age restriction that kept me cheering on the sidelines. Now, I can really support a cause that interests me, even if it's by being the last person to cross the finish line.
5. Go on a Road Trip
I'm not saying I'm going to travel across the United States with my beat up car anytime soon (because honestly, I don't think she could make the trip). But, I've always wanted to explore a little town in a different state for a day or two. A relaxing drive for a good cafe and maybe a nice museum sounds like an ideal weekend getaway to me.
6. Start a Savings Account
Unfortunately, being eighteen means that I have to consider taking some responsibility for my future. I have to accept the fact that one day, I'll be entirely on my own, and I need to save some money for the future or for any emergency that may occur. Although I'd love to blow all my money away on those lottery tickets and a road trip, I should probably begin to plan a little further ahead.
7. Get a Credit Card
Even though I do need to start saving some money, I am still young and deserve to spend a little bit as well. Of course, the overall goal is to build my credit and set a stable foundation for the future. But hey, if I can grab a cute pair of shoes or a nice sweater along the way, what's the harm in that?
8. Sign up for Spotify Premium
Technically, I don't have to be eighteen to do this, but it is a privilege I never allowed myself. I lived through the advertisements, the song recommendations that I didn't ask for but couldn't get rid of. It's time to take advantage of that student discount and live a little bit. No one is going to stop me from listening to Britney Spear's Toxic eight times in a row on my way to class.
9. Go to a Club
Since I have a late birthday, for months I watched my eighteen year old friends experience the city life in bustling clubs. I watched videos with upbeat music and strobe lights, wishing I could dance the night away with them. Finally, I can embarrass myself all night long if I want to.
10. Start a Meditation Routine
I should probably start actually taking care of my spirituality. This is something that I've always wanted to do, but claimed I did not have enough time when, in reality, I simply didn't prioritize it. With adulthood comes greater responsibility, but also much greater stress. Developing a meditation routine may help me delay those grey hairs that are about to arrive any day now.
11. Go to a Yoga Class
There are so many known benefits to yoga, but I've always been skeptical to try it (mostly because I have the upper body strength of a two-month-old). It's time to face my fears, because that's what adulthood is about: putting yourself out there since you no longer have a parent to hide behind. I'm willing to subject myself to self-embarrassment and possible ridicule by people who can actually balance on one foot, unlike me.
12. Treat Myself to a Dinner for One
I've always been too afraid to go to dinner by myself in a public restaurant. I feel uncomfortable being alone, asking for a table for one and having nothing to listen to besides my own thoughts. I think being okay with being alone is something that all adults have to learn. I'm also hesitant to spend money on myself, and I feel like if I'm going out to dinner with a fellow companion, using my own money is justified. I shouldn't be afraid to treat myself to a nice dinner every once in awhile, even if my definition of a "nice dinner" is just a burrito from Chipotle. Hopefully, they'll have another free guacamole day coming up soon.
13. Volunteer for a Charity
At the end of the day, it can't all be about buying myself dinners. I've participated in volunteer work before, but a majority of the opportunities I wanted to pursue had an age requirement. Since I'm eighteen, I can finally give back to my community and contribute to something larger than me. Whether it's working with an animal shelter or helping out in a soup kitchen during the holiday times, I am ready to finally look into the ways in which I can give back.
14. Participate in a Research Study
I live on a college campus, so I constantly see different posters hung on bathroom doors and bulletin boards about participating in research studies. Unfortunately, even though I was interested, I could never take part in any of them because of the age restriction. Of course, it makes sense to have a requirement, since no kid wants to ask their parent for permission to be part of a study where all they do is eat cheese pizza for a week straight to see how the body reacts. Now, no one can stop me from pursuing my dreams (as long as that pizza study is still available).
15. Bake Something (That Ends Up Being Edible)
I've never really cooked anything before in my life besides eggs (and even those don't usually end up very delicious when you're scraping them off the pan), and I definitely haven't successfully baked anything. Everyone always says that baking is easy because you just have to "follow the recipe," but when I do that, I end up with cookies that come out looking like coal or banana bread that more closely resembles banana soup. I'm determined to bake something and actually do it correctly, even if that means redoing it a hundred times. More burnt cookies for me!
16. Go Skydiving
Although this may seem a little extreme, this is something that I've always wanted to do. Ever since my mom did it for her birthday a few years ago, I've been super intrigued by the idea. Even though my instructor may not make it out with his hearing intact due to my blasting screams, that's a risk I am willing to take.
17. Be Called for Jury Duty
This one isn't really my choice to pursue, but it's still something that comes with being an eighteen year old. Finally, I get the opportunity to be just like so many other adults and complain about the inconvenient timing of jury duty. Maybe I'll get an exciting case, or maybe I won't. Either way, I can officially transition into adulthood by trying to find a way out of it!
18. Figure Out What I Want to Do With my Life
I know that even though I'm legally an adult, I'm still young and I don't need to plan out my entire future. But, it would be beneficial to start considering my options of where I want to go and what I truly want to pursue. I'm open to what the world has to offer, and I want to explore options that I haven't considered before. Maybe I'll fall in love with a certain hobby, maybe I'll realize that I don't like something that I thought I did. Right now, I still have the time to figure it all out.
Being a legal adult comes with its advantages and disadvantages, just as every age does. Let's just hope this next year brings more fun as opposed to more wrinkles.
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