Let’s face it — the time to become a grown-up is rapidly approaching. We need to take baby steps to prepare for the madness that comes along with full adulthood. While I’m no expert, I’m going to give some easy tips on how to gear up for life as an adult, and we can go through this change together.
#1 Keep your space clean.
I know I sound like your mother right now, but it seriously improves your mood and productivity so much if you keep your bedroom clean.
Even doing something as simple as making your bed in the morning can make a sluggish day seem far more productive. Another tip to keep your space clean is to minimize the clutter. I promise you that you don’t need all of those flyers from the student org fair.
Getting rid of the random pieces of paper and overall clutter will not only make your room feel bigger but it will also make you feel a weight was lifted off your shoulders.
My final tip to keep your space clean is to take out that trash, wipe down your bedside table and remember that you’re a boss who CAN conquer today. Regularly making sure your space is clean and neat will help you avoid future catastrophic breakdowns from an overly-messy room.
#2 Have those uncomfortable grown up conversations.
Nobody wants to tell their roommates that they seriously need to take out the trash. Let’s face it, we all know that it’s not a one-person job permanently assigned to you.
Part of adulting is having conversations that make you feel like you want to bury yourself under your covers.
Just think of how much better you’ll feel after your roommate agrees that they should be taking the trash out more, that your TA was grading unfairly or when your mom admits that she did forget to add textbook money on your card.
None of these things can happen unless you buckle up and have that hard conversation! A lot of times, miscommunication is part of the problem. Now is the chance to grow up and be honest when something is bothering you or you feel taken advantage of.
#3 Never apologize for who you are.
SO CLICHÉ, I know. However, the day you wake up and realize that you are that klutz and never apologize for tripping up the stairs is the day that you’ve officially made it to adulting.
The day I told myself that I wasn’t going to let people walk all over me anymore was the day I became confident in myself. I’m not saying that becoming more confident will pay the bills, but I am saying that confidence will remind you that you’re capable of paying those bills, even if you just spent $40 on Amazon on a game day outfit.
Get up every morning and remember that you’re a winner, you’ve earned that chicken dinner and, to be honest, you deserve that extra slice of cheesecake too. In order to adult, it doesn’t mean you have it all together, it means that you are trying your best. Do your best to avoid self-doubt, it will all work out in the end.
