Unfortunately, the time has come. I have noticed in my day-to-day activities that the inevitable has finally happened. I'm not entirely sure how I am feeling about this new change, but I have been told that it is a good thing. I have been afraid of this change for years now, but it is here and I am embracing it. I am growing up! Here are a couple of the warning signs that you too may be "growing up." Don't worry, we are all in this together.
1. The early bedtime.
I know I am not the only person who has made the change to turn in early knowing that the next day is going to be a long one. Younger me would have said "Who cares! I'm young! I'll power through tomorrow! Let's stay up until 2 a.m watching TV!" However, that is rarely the case now. More often than not, I find myself tucked in bed with my teddy bear and my blanket, before 9:30 p.m. (if that late at all).
2. The daily cup of coffee.
Until recently, I had never been the kind of person to wake up and immediately need a cup of coffee. To be honest, I always laughed at my parents for waking up and immediately walking to the Keurig every morning. I normally would only drink coffee out of convenience because I liked the flavor. But now, I find myself struggling to stay awake in the mornings if I do not have a hot cup of coffee. Adulthood, yikes.
3. Ditching plans to spend time alone.
This is one of the biggest things. As a college student I expected that I would want to go out and party every night with my friends. However, I find that 90 percent of the time I am canceling plans so that I can actually have time to just spend by myself, doing things that make me happy. I never realized how much I valued my alone time until I went to college.
4. My choice of television shows.
For as long as I can remember, "SpongeBob SquarePants" has been my favorite show (with "Grey's Anatomy" a close second). Recently I have found myself gravitating towards shows such as " Dr.Phil (Self Help)", "Property Brothers (Home Improvement)", "Giada at Home (Cooking)." and "Judge Mathis." All great shows, but completely different from what I regularly watch. I constantly find myself annoyed with all of the "new" and "hip" shows that are on Nickelodeon and Disney channel, which makes me feel super old.
5. Getting annoyed when the bed isn't made.
While I was growing up, I had daily battles with my parents about making my bed. I never understood why they wanted me to make my bed every day if I was just going to sleep in it at night. After living with my boyfriend all summer, I now realize the importance of making a bed every day and he still doesn't understand it. The battle is back and I am on the opposing side this time around.
6. Eliminating unnecessary impulse purchases.
Now that I have a monthly car payment and car insurance payment, I have to think twice about my impulses purchases. No, I do not need guac on my burrito at Chipotle. No, I do not need three pairs of new shoes from DSW. I don't need that puppy, but I want it. Yes, it is awful at the time having to discover such a great amount of will power, but it pays off.
7. Saving money.
Many people think that saving money and cutting back on unnecessary purchases is the same thing. Not exactly. Yes, you are saving money by cutting back on unnecessary purchases, but that money is usually spent on something else down the road. The act of actually saving money is taking a portion of your income and setting it aside and not using it until the time that you plan to use it. In addition to cutting back and paying my bills each month, I set aside a portion of money to save for later use!
Yes, it was weird for me when I started to realize I was indeed growing up and acting more and more like my parents. However, I now understand that it isn't a bad thing. It is actually kind of exciting. It is a new chapter of my life I am very excited about!
