College means moving out of your parents’s home and living on your own. Yes, it’s hard not having mom around– but these little accomplishments should make you realize that you’re doing pretty okay for yourself.
- Having the self-control to (not sleep through or skip!) go to class
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This is a pretty hard adjustment– it’s nearly impossible for some of us to get out of bed when that alarm goes off, but there’s no one else that’s going to tell you to get out of bed! Training yourself to get up instead of hitting snooze is a discipline that doesn’t get nearly enough credit.
- Ordering takeout/delivery over the phone
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I suffered from such social anxiety in high school that I wouldn’t ask a store employee where something was, even if they offered to help me. I also absolutely DESPISED answering or making phone calls. So now, being in college, I had to overcome my fear of making a phone call so I could get some pizza while pulling an all-nighter in the library (because sometimes online ordering or UberEats isn’t available, ugh).
- Buying cleaning supplies for your dorm/apartment
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Nothing says adulting like spending your last $30 (for things other than food) on laundry detergent and bathroom cleaner, amiright?
- Making my own doctor’s appointment and going by myself
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Well, the bigger problem for me is constantly being in denial if I get sick, because I REALLY could do without taking the extra time to see a doctor, but part of growing up is taking care of yourself, which means that you’re going to either go to student health services or otherwise use your parents’ health insurance to go to an Urgent Care.
- Cooking a real meal for yourself
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Yes, this is a step up from burning your easy mac because you forgot to add the water, but even the most perfectly boiled ramen isn’t true cooking (I hate to admit). Going grocery shopping and preparing yourself a balanced meal, even if simple, is super rewarding for your ego as far as your confidence in adulting. Trust me.
There are a ton of things you have to do as an adult, but these are some that you can start doing while still in college, and once you master them, you’ll feel so much more self-sufficient. Things, like filling out tax return forms and applying for a credit card, don’t have to be done as soon as you turn 18– but doing these things will make you feel a little less overwhelmed in the big, scary world of being an adult.