This past September, I moved into my first off campus apartment. Since living there, one thing has become startling clear: I am not an adult. Granted I’m only twenty and still in college, so it’s not really expected that I do “real people things” and have a “real person job.” I am not even close to adulthood. I have, however, become very skilled at pretending to be an adult. Here are 10 tips for pretending to be an adult in your first apartment.
1. Keep a large calendar in your kitchen or living room to mark dates when rent and other bills are due.
(This one is cute and from Amazon)
A better option is to set up automatic payments for all your bills.
2. Buy little plants like basil, rosemary, and other herbs to keep on your windowsill.
This is great because it provides aesthetic and food, which are my two favorite things.
3. Buy a bouquet of flowers from the grocery store to put on your cluttered table.
Everything is a mess, but at least it’s a pretty mess.
4. Buy little jars to put your flour and sugar in.
They all match so you have that Suburban Mom aesthetic, but you don’t have to actually do anything.
5. Have a dinner party.
Grown-ups do this right?
6.) On weekends, make a large batch of dinner and freeze portions for later in the week.
This way when you’re too lazy to cook (me always) you can defrost some baked ziti and feel like a responsible human, rather than just opting to eat take out.
7.) On days when BU has farmers markets, stop by to get fresh fruits and veggies.
The other day, my roommate bought a cauliflower because it was purple and she thought it was pretty. #Adulting.
8.) Learn where your fuse box is – you should probably also know how to reset a fuse box.
That way you won’t have to call your realtor in a panic because the power is out and you lost your super’s number.
9.) Marshals, TJ Maxx and the dollar section of Target all have great home décor for cheap.
Things look cute and put together, but you’ll spend less than $10 on everything.
10.) Accept the fact that you are not a fully grown adult and that’s okay.
Some days you’ll make homemade stir fry veggies and have your life together, other days you’ll eat delivery and cry on the phone with your mom. It’s a balance.
Hopefully by following these tips, you can at least pretend to be an adult who is in charge of her own life. If these didn’t help you feel any more in control of your life, don’t feel bad. You’re still in college. We’re all still adults in training.