Many of us have heard the statement “College will be the best time of your life” or some variation of it from a well-meaning adult. The excitement was likely evident in their voice as the memories of their college experience flashed behind their eyes. As a result, many of us jumped into university life head first, expecting the same outcome. Unfortunately, students often find that college is not a wonderland of fun, but rather a complicated and emotional jumpstart into the adult lifestyle.
Unless cooking is a hobby or was encouraged by family members, there’s a high chance that your cooking is an underdeveloped skill. That’s okay, but it is very stressful. How long do you boil a hard-boiled egg? How much seasoning goes into a single dish? Should you wash your rice? All valid questions. Except, the questions are constant because no one told you these things before you began living on your own.
Laundry is one of the universe’s biggest mysteries. Separating clothes by color and shade is, by far, one of the hardest things to do. Separating white clothes from colorful clothing is easy. The challenge begins when there’s one shirt that doesn’t match the others. There’s nothing more dreadful than bleeding colors onto your clothes. Assuming you’ve successfully managed to separate your clothes, what laundry products will you use and are they compatible with this washer and dryer system you’ve never used before?
The amount of cleaning that goes into maintaining a living space is overwhelming. TikTok will depict people cleaning every nook and cranny, effectively making someone feel inadequate. Not everyone owns fancy cleaning supplies and tools, nor can they spend hours scrubbing baseboards. Not to mention, there are a myriad of cleaning products to use. On the market, there’s a product for every surface. Fortunately, not all of those products are needed. However, you may be judged by society for choosing certain products.
Budgeting varies from person to person because everyone’s financial situation is different. As a college student, you’re now expected to maintain school finances, food expenses, transportation and every other bill and subscription you previously managed. Hanging with friends is nice, but being able to eat for the week is a priority. Now you’re trying to find ways to save money. It’s not easy. Why didn’t anyone tell you this was the harsh reality of being an adult?
Unfortunately, this is the reality for many young people. They go into college unprepared and expecting one thing, but come out as semi-jaded adults who are not excited about the unstructured life after college. If this situation sounds familiar, just know you are not alone. Everyone is trying to make it as best as they can. Plus, most of these things are based on preference and convenience. Google is your best friend. Take a deep breath and you will be fine.