"Excuse me, ma'am, I have a question"

*turns and looks for the person she is calling ma'am*

*horrifyingly realize that the ma'am is supposed to be me*

This winter, I worked in retail, and I cannot begin to tell you the number of times I was addressed as ma'am. This might sound strange, but I don't consider myself to be the "ma'am" type. I might be 19, living on my own, and in college, but I am not yet an adult. Yeah, yeah, we college kids love to throw around the "A word," but none of us are really adults...and before you roll your eyes at me, when was the last time you made yourself a doctor's appointment? Exactly.

So, before we begin to think that we are self-sufficient adults, here is a list of four things that we thought would happen when we moved out, but didn't:

1. Cook Actual Dinners

When I moved out of the dorms and into an apartment, I started to wipe the dust off of the family cookbooks because I anticipated I would cook every day... I have never been so wrong. This is the same period in my life when I realized that not only am I lazy, but I am a bad cook. Therefore, my visions of being the next Rachel Ray soon vanished and the reality of buying an electric can-opener (I don't know how to use the hand one) soon replaced that. To prove my point, yesterday at work I had microwavable popcorn and instant oatmeal for lunch.

2. Make Our Own Appointments

I've lived in Cleveland for over a year now, and ask me how many times I have made an appointment with a doctor located in Cleveland? (Hint: the answer is the same as the number of meals I have cooked.) Get my point? As much as I hate to admit it, I still call my parents and have them make me appointments for when I visit home. I'm not about to see some weird doctor in a strange city, so naturally I have good ole mom and dad to help me out.

3. Go Grocery Shopping

I never realized what a hassle it is to plan meals. And when you account for my inability to cook, it turns into a nightmare. You know you're in college when your entire pantry is filled with canned goods and fruit cups (that's if it's even stocked to begin with). Want to know my favorite S word? Sale! Going to the grocery store is only fun when you have money to spend. So while all of you actual adults go for the fresh seafood to add to your pasta, I'll be (not-so-happily) grabbing my ramen noodles, because they're like 50 cents.

4. Do Laundry

Do you know what is worse than doing your own laundry? Paying to do your own laundry. Every time I need to do my laundry, I pay $3, which might not seem like a lot but when you think about it, that's, like, six packs of ramen noodles. Whenever I'm visiting home, I'll bring all of my laundry with me (thanks, Mom and Dad). So, if you're still living at home or in the dorms where laundry is free, please feel free to send all of the quarters you save over to me.

Just remember, next time you're following directions, and you read that adult supervision is required, you might want to check if they need an actual adult's supervision. Until you've accomplished the four hardest tasks of living away from your parents, you may not yet be an adult...but that's OK, because I'm doing just fine, right?