It is officially a new year. While everyone is welcoming 2020 by focusing on their new year’s resolutions, I decided to go on a different path. 2020 is not only the start of a new year, but it is the start of a new decade. Last decade I was in the 5th grade and my concerns were what cartoons I would watch after school and who I would play with during recess. Simpler times. This time around my worries mainly consist of learning how to live on my own. Scary, I know. I started to realize that this new decade will begin a brand new chapter of my life — adulting.
The word “adulting” is scary and exciting at the same time. It may seem far away from now but this is the decade where most of us will be getting married, having kids, or working at our dream jobs. This is the decade where we will find ourselves and discover our real purpose in life. This reality is both thrilling and terrifying but the best way to navigate those mixed emotions is to live in the moment. Don’t get stuck in worrying about the future. Instead remain optimistic in the present. While you’re embracing optimism, here are some simple tips on how to master the concept of adulting.
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Don’t be afraid to ask for help: As the saying goes, closed mouths don’t get fed. If you are like me, I hate asking for help. I’ll go through every possible scenario in my head for how I can handle a problem on my own before reaching out to my friends and family for assistance. Don’t hesitate to ask for advice. Reach out to friends, family, or even people in your career field such as a colleague or mentor. There are even self-help books if you’d prefer to go that route.
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Try to learn a new recipe: Depending on fast food restaurants and takeout to satisfy your hunger may seem harmless. Still, mastering the art of cooking is an essential life skill that you’ll be thankful for in the long run. Start with something as simple as pancakes and work your way up to becoming a master in the kitchen.
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Learn a new skill: We live in a time where anyone can access the necessary information to learn a new set of skills. Whether you turn to books, online sources, or podcasts, there are several useful outlets available to teach young adults heading into the real world something new. Why not take up a foreign language? Maybe learn how to draw? Most importantly, never forget that the value of learning a new subject or skill doesn’t stop after undergrad. That knowledge will benefit you for a lifetime.
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Set a budget: I can admit that I have difficulty establishing a budget. Between spending money on food and going out with friends, I find myself rubbing pennies together by the end of the month. Now, as we prepare to buy houses, pay hefty bills, and support families, it is more important than ever to learn how to be financially independent. Try to track your expenses throughout the month. Set a realistic budget that you will be able to stick to and don’t spend beyond your means.
Listen, no one said that becoming an adult is an easy or straightforward process. However, the best piece of advice I can give to anyone trying to figure out how to master the real world is this: make mistakes. Make as many mistakes as you can. That’s the only way you can learn. You don’t have to have everything figured out in your twenties but attempting, failing, and trying again is the only way to truly master adulthood.