Nap time. I remember it like it was just yesterday (and I am not talking about the nap I took yesterday). The best part of the day for some and the most boring part for others. Obviously, this isn’t the only part of kindergarten that I remember but every day I live, I remember those mats and then realize that I am one step closer to becoming an adult.
Becoming an adult. Some believe that once you are eighteen years old, that is when you become an adult. Others believe that it is when you get your feet on the ground whether that includes college, a job, a house, a spouse, or maybe no debt. Whatever you believe is becoming an adult, I am going to tell you some of the things I wish I knew before I started becoming an adult.
Money
Remember that little kid you use to be? You know the one that got that card with a whole TEN DOLLARS on their birthday or your favorite holiday. You couldn’t wait to go out and spend that money on that new stack of Pokémon cards or that new doll. Even when you got older you figured those new shoes or THE video game of the summer would be a much better investment rather than putting that money in the bank. Well… I am here to tell you things are expensive in the world of adults, but I will get to that later. SAVE! YOUR! MONEY!
College
Off to college, you go to continue your future in whatever your passion is. You meet your academic advisor to plan your classes and figure "Hey!!! I have been in school for thirteen years. I can totally do a class at eight in the morning." Half way through the semester you realize you have missed fifteen classes and you have lost a lot of money because that three credit class you keep missing cost you $200-$300 per credit hour. Make sure you go to class even if you are not required to go to class it will be worth it after you get your degree.
Job
Wait... college is really expensive. You know what else is expensive? Food gas and things to do. How on earth are you going to pay for all of those things... a job. This is a big task. Firstly, you are going to have to realize because you are in college. There are a lot of jobs for college students in the service industry. Maids, waiters, cashiers, nannies. The odds of these jobs being high paying jobs are pretty much zero percent. That being said, these are going to be some of the most flexible jobs for college students. Which leads into my second point. You are going to have to find a job that will work with your class schedule. This isn't usually a problem with most jobs you will be applying for.
Time management
You just got off work and you have a five page paper due in two days that you have not quite started on. Why not just watch one show on Netflix then start on your paper? Oh no. You are now four seasons in and it is now 4 in the morning. Now you realize that you have to learn to manage your time better in the future because you now have to rush to finish your paper and you now start panicking.
Becoming an adult is extremely terrifying for some. For others, the transition to adulthood is flawless. Just remember that you are going to do a great job and everything will be fine.
