The transition from a teenager to an adult is probably the most terrifying phase in any young person's life. One morning you wake up and there are taxes to be done, rent to be paid, and all of your clothes are dirty — while our parents do their best to prepare each of us for this moment, there is no real set of instructions that help you to seamlessly enter adulthood.
As a 21-year-old navigating these murky waters herself, I have decided to compile a list of tips for those struggling with the concept of adulting.
1. Learn how to cook and do laundry.
While your college's meal plan may have your back now, after graduation you'll be living on crackers and mac and cheese from a box if you don't start learning how to cook a few decent meals now. I suggest getting some simple meals such as stir fry and spaghetti down first before attempting for difficult dishes. It's very easy to get discouraged.
As far as laundry goes, there is no such thing as the Laundry Fairy. Yes, boys and girls, that was actually just your mom washing your clothes for all of these years. While you are on your own, you will find out just how quickly those piles of dirty clothes accumulate so figure out how to do laundry —
it's really simple — and make a laundry schedule so that you keep up with it.2. Keep your space neat.
This is a hard one for me personally. My apartment looks like a trashed frat house 95 percent of the time. The easiest way to keep your place under control is to take 10 minutes a night and make sure everything is in its proper place and all surfaces are wiped down. That way your apartment will never get so gross that it takes you a full three days to clean it. (Yes, that's happened to me multiple times).
3. Save money.
Another area where I personally struggle. You don't need to eat every meal out or buy every cute outfit you see. Start putting aside money and do not touch it. This way if you need to make a deposit on your dream apartment or your friends decide they want to go somewhere nice for spring break, you have the funds. Also, keep an emergency stash for car trouble, medicine, etc.
4. Build credit.
You need credit to rent an apartment, buy a car, etc. so start building that now. Get out a credit card and spend $5 or so a month on something small like a coffee and then pay it off immediately. Don't get too crazy though or you'll find yourself up to your ears in debt.
5. Make your own doctor appointments.
Start making your own doctor appointments now because a surprising amount of people don't know how to once they're on their own. Even if your mom wants to do it, insist you should do it because you need the practice.
6. Make better decisions.
As you get older, make better decisions. Don't drink every night, and don't go home with some rando from a party and engage in unprotected sex. There is far less room for mistakes as you get older.
7. Manage your time.
Keep a planner or a calendar if you have to but manage your time well. Make sure you're getting everything you want and need to get done in a day. Hey, if you get all your cleaning and grocery shopping done early then you may have a free day to binge-watch "Orange Is The New Black."
8. Get better with directions.
So many people pull the "I'm bad at directions" card, myself included. But get passed that phase and get passed it fast because if your GPS ever fails, you will be completely and hopelessly lost and that if a situation you never want to put yourself in. I know it seems old fashioned but keep a map in your car and know how to read it! GPS and cell phone batteries die; maps will always be there for you.
9. Take better care of yourself.
Eat better, exercise more, go to sleep earlier, drink less, etc. You will need to be the best version of yourself to keep up with all of the trials and tribulations of adulthood. The hungover, sluggish, exhausted mess you were in college won't fly in a real workplace so get it together.
10. Learn how to do taxes.
Don't let your dad do them every year. You do them. Because you will be doing them every year for the rest of your life so you should probably figure out how. I strongly recommend TurboTax. They make the whole process really fast and simple.
11) Cut out the people who drag you down.
That best friend who still drags you into drama, that on-again/ off-again boyfriend who can't make up his mind about whether or not you're the one...toxic people have got to go. They will just keep you permanently in the mentality of a high schooler rather than the amazing adult that you could be. Break free from the chains!
Adulting may seem impossible but it's really not and the whole experience can be very fulfilling if done correctly. Good luck!
