I’m a strong believer that big life changes are a gradual thing; nothing happens overnight, as much as we might want it to at times. The transition from being a kid to being an adult is one of those big life changes that happens sloooooowly. You don’t just magically get your shit together the morning you wake up after graduating college. No, no, not at all.

I’ve been fully supporting myself (minus paying for my health insurance…thanks Obama and thanks Mom and Dad) for almost a year now, and while I don’t always feel like an adult, I have moments from time to time that make me think, “Wow, I really am growing up.”

Here are some of those moments.

You know you’re an adult when…

… You get really excited for the buy 4 get 1 free car wash deal.

… Freshmen in college start to look like BABIES. Like, are you 14?!

… You buy your first couch that isn’t off of Craigslist.

… A wild night during the week is hitting up the board and bottle night at Postino and still making it home by 9:30.

… Sleeping in on a weekend means sleeping past 8 a.m.

… You pregame a Friday night movie with a bottle of wine instead of pregaming the frats with shots of Dragon Berry Bacardi.

… You make all of your own appointments (doctors, dentists, car repairs, etc.)

For everyone else who feels like they’re fumbling through life at times, I’ll leave you with this: Don’t be too hard on yourself for not knowing exactly how to file your taxes or for forgetting to get your oil changed. We’ll get through it like we always have…together.