I just almost lost over $2,000. I was being overly ambitious and, rather than waiting for my family friend to complete my tax returns like he does every year, this year, I decided to file my taxes on my own.
I used TurboTax, to file both my Federal and State taxes, did a little dance when I realized how much I was getting back, and waited ever-so-patiently for my check to return in the mail. I am planning on going on a cruise with my old roommate, so I really, really needed that check to come in the mail. And it didn’t.
Long story short, I went back onto TurboTax to see if they would give me a nice little update on when my check would arrive, the way Amazon does with your orders, and I realized, after lots of reading and scared confusion, that I had another step to complete. Apparently, there was something else I still had to print out, sign, and physically mail in before I could get my two checks. What the heck is up with that? If I hadn’t been so impatient and checked before the April 18th deadline, I would have lost over $2,000! Not cool.
Luckily I didn’t, though. And hopefully, now I only have to wait a few weeks before I can book my cruise, take a week off from the real world, and sail away like I’m back in college.
I do, however, wish that I could go back in time, and ask how the heck to do some adult things that 20-somethings are just expected to do! Here are a few things I still don’t feel confident doing, that I wish I had learned while in college:
- Filing taxes – need I say more?
- Jury duty – Being a student means you can get out of going to jury duty. Now, it means missing a day of work and potentially looking like a lost puppy or being the determining factor of someone else’s fate. Talk about pressure! I used to think being part of a jury would be very thrilling, but after watching Making a Murderer, I simply don’t feel comfortable with someone else’s life in my hands! Especially knowing how easily facts and words can be twisted the way they were in the Netflix series.
- Getting insurance and making sure you’re covered – I was so proud to finally be on my own insurance after college. I was both insuraned AND felt rich with my first few paychecks, so I decided to go to an allergist to start getting allergy shots to rid myself of my horrible seasonal allergies. Well…I made the mistake of not checking my coverage and 1 visit later, I owe $1,000 for my first visit. Help me…….
- Switching to a real doctor – I am 23 and still go to a pediatrician. And get lots of funny looks from moms and their toddlers every time I get sick. I am still on the hunt for a real, adult doctor, but after my allergist mistake, I’m a little hesitant.
- Handling banking – Once I got my first full-time job, I went overboard on the shopping and immediately moved out of my parent’s house into an apartment. Though the rent was cheap, I realized I hadn’t budgeted my money very well, because I am still always itching for my next paycheck ever 2 weeks.
- Student loans – Who knew that one day you would actually have to pay all of that debt back?! Not me. I still cringe every time I make my monthly payment and see the number just BARELY drop.
- Learning how to cook – If you’ve never lived off campus or in a dorm with a kitchen, ordering in or going to the dining hall might have been the only options you had until now. If you’re at all inclined to ditch the pizza rolls, I’m very proud of you, but learning to cook a piece of meat, vegetable, and grain might be a bit of a challenge! Good luck!
- Laundry and dishes – Again, if you’ve never had an apartment on or off campus, this might be something you’ve never done before.
Well, since I'm still learning to "adult" on my own, I don't have much advice for you just yet. For now, you can catch me waiting with the babies at the pediatrician or on the phone with my mom asking her how to clean a rug. All I can really say is this: Good luck!
