HOW TO FIND YOUR FOOTING AS A NEW ADULT

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Submitted Date 03/29/2019
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No one is ever prepared to be an adult. It comes gradually and you learn to roll with the punches, one after another. To be honest, I’ve never actually been given an instruction manual on how to be an adult. I’m still learning and have room to improve, but I have prepared some helpful tips for the young adults who have no one to help them grow in this metamorphosis stage.

1. You’re not going to read a book and figure it out. You have to really try. Trust me, It’s going to be really hard to not trust someone else’s opinion on this (ironically, including mine), but you have to get over your fear of the unknown and do weird and boring things like applying to jobs and going to the DMV. All your life, you’ve been taught what to do and exactly when to do it. But now that the safety net has gone away, you can certainly focus on you and use the talents that you’ve been given for the good of the rest of the planet!

2. Delete the “ghosts” from your contact list. Keep your friend’s list online and in your contact list clean. Got a ghost friend who just hits you up when they need something? Let them go! If there is someone who mainly causes you to be confused if they really are your friend, you can go ahead and assume that they aren’t. Remember, being an adult is all about watching out for your own best interest. DO YOU. Sorry Sally, you’ve got to go.

3. Keep your closet nice and tidy. One of my secrets is that I go through my clothes and just get rid of (donate) all the clothes I never actually wear. What this has done is that it has narrowed down my closet items to the “best of the best”. I love wearing the stuff that makes me feel my best. I am now free of carrying that load from all those years. Those clothes were ugly anyways.

4. Chiiiiiiiiill. At every juncture of my short adult life, I have found fellow adults around me worrying about the same old mess. Everywhere you go, you will find the crowd that thinks this or that is too overwhelming. Everybody worries about bills, career success, and pretty much all the same things. But do you want to be one who stands out among the rest? Chill.

5. Go to bed at a reasonable time every night. My most wonderful advice. Back in college, I used to go to bed at exactly 11 p.m. every night and that would be okay because I could always go back to my room the next day and take a small nap. Nowadays, I can only dream of that. Choose a good time to sleep that allows you to wake up not feeling like you just returned from a road trip to hell. I like 9 p.m. Okay fine 8.

6. Love love love your self. I honestly don’t mean it in a conceited way. I mean, you have to love yourself enough to wake up to this broken world and remind yourself there’s a reason for all this stress. You’re going to get somewhere one day. You have to love your own unique process and you have to smile through alllll the pain. Adulting doesn’t always have to be so hard. In the end, all we’re ever going to remember is love, and how much we loved each other.

Comments

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  • Tomas Chough 5 years ago

    Delete the “ghosts” from your contact list.
    This one's so true. We waste so much time and energy with people that don't even care about us and we maybe we don't either. Getting that straight can be hard but so beneficial in the long run. Great read Nikki!

  • Catherine Rohsner 5 years ago

    Thanks for writing this, Nikki. I'm thankful for the insight. During my senior year of college, I felt like I was in a bus that was driving cross-country toward the Pacific, and wasn't going to stop there! I found similar advice on worrying and struggling with bills in an unlikely place, a tiny house tour YouTube video, in which the woman said you're not alone, just do what you can, and things will get better. I especially like your last point. We really do have to accept our own paths and not compare ourselves to others, and what matters most in life is, not to be cheesy, the love we give to others. Thanks again! (Adulting isn't all insurance, bills, taxes, and boring stuff, is it?) :)

  • Nina Appasamy 5 years ago

    Great advice!

  • Miranda Fotia 4 years, 12 months ago

    Great advice! Thanks for sharing!

  • No name 4 years, 11 months ago

    Important notes for people to realize as they are growing!!!

  • Alexander 4 years, 9 months ago

    Love this list. And honestly, a lot of this can even be said for when you're an upperclassmen depending on situation. It's always a good idea to get a head start!