Adulting Is Fun (Totally Sucks)

Do you remember the nostalgia of your childhood? Running down the streets, playing tag amongst other things, and summer vacations. God, I loved summer vacation. The feeling of the last day of school. All the field day activities you got to participate in. The anticipation of no more early mornings. Yup, I miss it. Childhood is bliss, they tell us enjoy it while we can. I should’ve listened. Especially since when I was under the age of ten all I wanted to do was turn a double digit. When I finally got to ten all I wanted to do was turn thirteen. When I finally got there...well I wished my boobs were bigger but also that I could be 18. Long story short? My whole life I couldn’t wait to be an adult. And now that I’m 21, I swear, I would trade it all just to relive my field day glory days.

Going to College

Spoiler alert: it’s not like 90210 or Zoey 101. It’s real life. After high school, I started community college and I regret not taking it more seriously. I thought I could skip a few classes here and there and I’d be okay, right? Wrong. Being fresh out of high school, I still had this mentality where I thought I could skip class and come back and make up everything I missed. College is definitely not like that. It’s real life and if you’re not on financial aid (like I wasn’t), you’re wasting your money or your mom's money (in my case). College determines a lot career-wise, so grab it by the horns and take it seriously.

Getting a Job

(LOL) I’m laughing as I’m typing this because I literally worked at legit seven different places between high school graduation up until I was 19. It’s fine to build up your resume but don’t do what I did. What did I do, you ask? I found little retail jobs, got bored, uninterested, or annoyed at them, and quit cold turkey. But I needed money because my mom was over spotting me. My advice? Find an entry level job you really like and stick to it. Better than job hopping and starting all over again.

Managing Money

I know it’s easier said than done but we have got to do better. Speaking to Millennials, Gen X & Y, it’s fun to go out and shop and buy this and that but what about afterwards? It sucks being broke. Some things I’ve learned over the years is...I'd have a crapload of money if I started saving earlier and instant gratification doesn’t outweigh the feeling of being broke. So skip the new outfits, phone, etc., and save. How cool would it be to buy yourself a brand new car? Can’t do it without saving. I have a serious job now and I divide my paycheck into two; one half for savings and one for my shenanigans (mostly food).

Getting a Real Job

This could take some time unless you’re in school and doing internships or have good connections. For me, it was tough because I couldn’t keep a job and I had gotten myself on academic probation. So, after finally realizing I didn’t want to go into my twenties working behind a cash register, I decided to do online courses to work in a childcare center. It took time, money, and perseverance. But I did it and now I’m making more money than I ever have at any fast food or retail place. Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make!

Moral of the Story...

Childhood is fun...teenage years are awkward, uncomfortable, challenging, and kinda fun...but adulting, sucks...if we let it. Keyword: IF. If I would’ve kept my grades up in school, I could’ve gone into an internship making sweet money, buying a new car, and probably had my first apartment by 20. But, I didn’t...I got lazy and wanted to continue acting like a child even though I wanted to be grown. I missed out on easy money and opportunities because of that. Now adulting does suck because I’m trying to catch up on things I should’ve done years ago. Life’s truly what you make it. Adulting is hard because we don’t have a crutch (mommy & daddy) to hold our hands every step. But we can choose to learn, grow, and prosper as we go. Instead of, you know, doing what I did over the years. *inserts crying emoji*. Make your life what you want it to be.

Be blessed.

Xoxo -M.H