So this past week I was in New York City for my best friends bachelorette party. We have been friends for a decade now and we met in our first year of college. Reflecting on the weekend I have now come to realize I am actually an adult. Or at least I meet the social requirements to be considered one. This past weekend made me realize that I have grown up a lot since I meet my friends back in University. Online it may seem that I have most of my life figured out, but looking back when I was 22 I would tell myself that by 28 I would be married, planning for a kid and be a partner at a successful law firm in New York City. Clearly, that is not the life I lead today at 28. At 28 I still do not feel like I am an adult yet. In my last few years after university, I have learned a thing or two about adulting and I thought I would share them with you.
Adulting is a term that has become super popular amongst millennials. The millennial generation is doing a few things differently than past generations. Whether it’s living at home with their parents longer or taking alternative steps to creating their dream career rather than the standard 9-5 everything seems to be a little different nowadays than in our parents time. Now that many millennials have reached adulthood, I have started noticing a trend amongst myself and my friends – we are TOTALLY unaware of what we are actually doing. Maybe that is how it has always been, but it seems like my generation is really confused on how to adult! I have learned a few things over the years on adulating and I wanted to share with you all today.
- Stay Healthy – When we were kids, we dreamed of the day we became adults and get to have dessert for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the truth is our health is by far the most important thing in our life. We are only given one body to carry us through this journey we call life. It is important that we nourish and cherish our body. It may sound boring to think about healthy meals and working out, but it can be fun as well. The cool thing about growing up is that you decide what you want to eat and which workout to do. If you do not like a certain vegetable then don’t eat it. Does the thought of walking on a treadmill bore you to death? Don’t do it, go join a spin class instead. The possibilities are endless and as an adult, you can pick.
- Work hard before you play hard – Once you have all the freedom that comes with being an adult, it can be extremely tempting to focus on having fun and hanging out with your friends at the newest trendy bar than getting your work done. I dealt with this personally when I first started working. I was all about the party life and had to capture the perfect Instagram picture to make sure I was showing the world how much fun I was having with my new found freedom. I totally believe that you should party, but what you should be focused on is not settling for average and striving for beating your personal best and setting goals that really push you to go further than before.
- Keep track of your finances – This one is huge. I am no finance guru, and it has taken me a few years to truly appreciate the concept of saving money rather than spending my entire paycheck on payday. It is extremely important to keep track of your savings when you are planning on moving into your own place. Keeping track of your finances and budgeting out the money you make is incredibly important so you can pay all of your bills on time and you don’t screw up your credit. In today’s tech world there are a ton of apps that can do all the heavy lifting for you. I personally use Monzo to keep track of my monthly spending and for the last few months, I have been saying more than I budgeted to, which is a great feeling!
- Find a routine – Now that school is finished and you no longer have your mom waking you up in the mornings you need to find a new routine that suits your lifestyle. Having a routine helps me stay focused and not lose sight of my passion projects. I have set times when I work on certain things. I wake up early to work on my blog and youtube and then I go to work and I keep my evenings free so social outings. Outside of planning in time for my blog and passion projects, having a schedule keeps me active and on a good workout schedule.
- Never stop learning – I know that we are all now adults, but just because you have reached a certain age doesn’t mean you should stop striving to be better and smarter. Just because we are no longer in formal university classes doesn’t mean we should try to learn something new outside of our 9-5 jobs. Find a new skill, hobby, or activity you have always wanted to try and do it!
I hope this list helps you adult a little bit better. Remember that if you are feeling overwhelmed by adult life, don’t worry. You certainly aren’t alone. Just remember it does get easier, it doesn’t seem like it will, but it will be easier before you know it.
What adulting tips would you add? What’s your best piece of advice to people that are struggling with adult life? Leave a comment below!
Dress – Primark
Sweater – Michael Kors
Purse – Rebecca Minkoff
Shoes – Nike
Sunglasses – Dolce & Gabbana
Photos taken by: Arthy
Adulting can be hard, I struggle with it every day. I hope this blog post has encouraged you to remember you are doing the best that you can and that we are all just trying to figure out this adult life out together. If you enjoyed this blog post, I would love if you saved/heart it on Bloglovin’! If you want to get instant updates on my life make sure to follow me on Snapchat (@anikazzz) or check out my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
