Adventures of a First Time Adult

 

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As of yesterday I have considered myself an adult for about two months. For me, obtaining a full time, salaried job makes me a grown-up. It wasn't graduating college. I wasn't the first bill for my student loan repayment adventures—check-in with me in 20 years!—it was the day I walked into the office in my "trying too hard" professional outfit and faux confident smile. Granted, that first day turned into the most hectic and awkward day, which set the tone for my time in this position. Yesterday marked two full years as a working adult.

During those two months I navigated my way through selecting all the insurances, dedicated myself to packing healthy lunches everyday, committing to continuing my fitness regime, thinking about my bank account constantly, and making sure that I speak with my parents at least once a week...I seem to have developed the habit of calling my mother every night.  She misses me right? ;P

College was like adulthood-lite. Of course, in college we are responsible for getting ourselves up and to class. It was up to us to maintain motivation to do well and get to the finish line. But there was the familiar safety net: my parents handled the hard stuff. Now I'm getting my car inspected and setting appointments to make adjustments so I can keep it running for another year. I am planning my meals through the week so that I buy just what I need at the store and don't shop without a plan. I am incredibly restrained and no longer make whim purchases. I think about the dentist more than I would like.

Here I am now. Getting my thoughts together before heading into a very busy week, drinking a glass of white, watching a special on Princess Diana, avoiding the basket of laundry that is looking at me expecting me to act responsibly and against my own habits; I have a tendency to let the clothes just sit in the basket until the next laundry day. This is real. This is me. (This is me quoting Camp Rock.)

Thank you for reading the latest installment of "Late Night Thoughts with a Young Woman Who Really Should Go to Bed Now."

- Ashley

Are you finding "adulting" to be an amiable experience?