Adulting – This is a term I use when I feel I am independent or do things for myself that my parents used to do for me. Going to college was like waking up from a long nap only to find that there are many normal, every-day tasks I actually didn't know how to do by myself.
1. Laundry
A lot of people roll their eyes when I tell them I have trouble with my laundry because they always did their own. I was lucky enough that my mom took care of the laundry, and all I had to do was put it down the laundry chute to then find it folded nicely, back in my closet two days later! The first time I did laundry in college, I panicked and even cried a little with my mom on FaceTime while she tried to help me through it. I couldn’t ask anyone else for help because I didn’t want them to think I was a spoiled brat who didn’t know how to do my own laundry (even though I didn’t). I forgot about my laundry for several hours while it sat in the washer, and one time I even forgot to put the detergent in.
2. Returning a Package
At home, I was the queen of online shopping. If I found something I liked, my mom would just tell me to order it because we could always return it later. So that’s what I did. Now, when I order something online and it doesn’t work out, I have to be the one to take care of sending it back. Re-packaging the box, putting the return label on, filling out the form, and returning it on-time are all things I have to remember to do.
3. Changing my Sheets
Before you say anything, of course I know how to change my own sheets. I changed them many times at sleepaway camp, for many years. However, at home, I never really changed my own sheets. And even at sleepaway camp, there was a designated time where everyone changed their sheets together so no one forgot. Needless to say, changing my sheets is something I have to remind myself to do so that I don’t end up sleeping in my own filth, especially when I come home at night covered in dirt and sludge from parties.
4. Paying my bills
That’s right! Going to college meant that it was time for a credit card because obviously as an adult, I need to start building my credit. To be honest, I didn’t even really know how a credit card worked until I got my own. While credit cards can be fun, they can also be scary if you forget to pay the bill, or worse, don’t have the money to pay the bill. It’s up to me to log into my own bank account and pay my own bills, and it’s up to me to remember to do it!
5. Cleaning the Floor
You can find me on my hands and knees with the dust buster or a spray bottle of Fantastik in my hands. I can sometimes be messy (others would argue and say I’m always messy but whatever…) so naturally dust or dirt builds up over time. If I don’t clean the floor, or other surfaces, no one is going to do it for me!
6. Steaming my Clothes
When my clothes got dirty at home, they were taken to the cleaners and magically returned to me shiny and clean later that week. Although I still need to find a cleaner in Winston-Salem (if anyone has suggestions please let me know!), my mom bought me a handy little steamer I can use to get the wrinkles out (she didn't trust me with an iron).
7. Replacing my Toiletries
If I run out of toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, or any number of things, there isn't an abundance of extra in the linen closet anymore. I have to run out to CVS to stock up, or even run to the grocery store to get my own food! Tip: Don't buy produce unless you know you will eat it, because becoming an adult may entail finding your produce with mold on it after you forgot to eat
8. Traveling
Since I go to a school a flight away from home, and a flight away from many other destinations, its up to me to get myself on that flight. My dad trained me to be an expert flyer, which means packing extremely efficiently and never holding up the security line. I have traveled around the world by myself, but there has always been someone to take me to the airport. Now, I have to pick and schedule my flights, make sure I leave for the airport with enough time to make my flight, and I need to have all my travel documents with me.
Being an adult is hard, and I’m not even an technically an adult yet, but I can definitely say that learning to do things for myself is beneficial and will serve me well in the long run! Everyone goes into college having different experiences growing up, and it is okay to feel that there are things you don’t know how to do! That’s what FaceTiming Mom is for :).
