What You Need to Learn About ADULTING

We all hear the word "adulting" from time to time. But what does it actually mean? Or more importantly, what are the things that you have to do in order to ace it? How do you even know if you are doing it? If you are from a generation that does not want to grow up or still thinking whether or not you should, well, here's a little something from me to you. I never planned on doing any of these when I was under the age of twenty, and no one told me I actually have to go through all of these at a certain time and age. Everything just kinda blew on my face and I'd be lying if I tell you I'm loving it 100%, because I am not. But that doesn't mean I can get an 'adulting pass' and just curl up in bed and not do these.

So, here goes adulting and beyond!..

1. Money Management
Yeah, gone are the days when you'd simply ask money from your parents (or whoever raised you) to buy something or if you wanna go somewhere. The moment you start to hit adulthood, you are going to be in charge of everything - your daily, weekly, monthly or yearly budget. You have to know where your money goes and how you'd earn them. You decide whether or not you would buy something or you'd go somewhere. You shouldn't expect anyone to take care of your budget for you. Sometimes, you might run low on cash and you might need help to replenish your sources. It's fine to ask for help from people you trust and people who trust you. But never abuse other people by turning them into your personal cash cow just because they let you.


2. Adult Talks
I myself am not always ready for this, but, from time to time, I know I have to deal with this. Remember when we were kids and the adults (a.k.a parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents & other people over 20) would ask us to play outside or go somewhere else because they are having some 'grownup talk'? Yep! Now you are going to be part of that grownup talk! It usually sucks, but you have to be a grownup and start sharing your opinion about serious issues about life. Topics such as debt, infidelity, business ventures, weddings, relocation and resignation will be covered. All of a sudden, nobody cares about Sesame Street anymore! And you HAVE TO deal with it.


3. Relocating
Whether it's because of your job or just because you want to have a different environment, at some point in your adult years, you will have to move to a different town, city or country. Maybe you've done it in your younger years; in that case then you already have an idea on what to expect on a new place. But if you haven't, if you've always been staying at one place for like two decades, boy I hate to break it to your face but this is gonna be tough - emotionally and financially. But, it still depends on your coping mechanism. If you're naturally friendly, you might find instant connection with the new people around you. But if not, well, be prepared to face a hell lot of homesickness, isolation or boredom. Maybe you can just let technology be your ally until you can find real people you can hang out with.


4. Relationships
This is basically the foundation of your existence. I have to mention the famous quote " No man is an island". This couldn't be more true; you can't just live for yourself. You definitely have all sorts of relationships from your childhood up to this point of your life. However, they change over the years, have you noticed? There are people you used to speak with every day when you were younger, but maybe now you're just on a 'liking' basis on Facebook. Not a single word for years, eh? You're probably wondering what the f*ck happened, why did you guys end up not talking anymore. Well, let me tell you what - people change. We evolve! Priorities change and time flies. But it's not all bad you know. There may be people that you didn't even think about seeing again but now they're the ones who are always there for you when you need them. That's the magic of life. You have to live it in order to know what's gonna happen next. There's no forward or skip button. So, know that you are gonna lose your connection with some friends, romantic partners or even family members, and it's going to hurt for quite sometime, but it will be okay because they will be replaced by the right people that you actually need in your life.


5. Processing documents
Of all the things I'm dealing with now that I'm an adult, this one gets to me the most. I hate opening my mouth unless I have to do my work/job. But, I know I have to verbalize what's going on in my mind if I need to get shit done. Once you are an adult, you can't always expect people to process documents for you. Things like renewing your professional license or driving license, applying for or renewing your passport, asking for the latest copy of your birth certificate, applying for visa, working on your pre-employment requirements, getting your first loan, opening up a new bank account or basically anything that requires filling out a form and talking to another human being behind a desk or window - you have to learn how to do all of these BY YOURSELF. Daunting, yeah! But once you've done most (or all) of these things, you will feel a great sense of pride that no one can ever take away from you.

There are a lot of adjustments that you'd have to deal with, these are just a few. If you're a Millennial like me, or someone who just stepped into adult world, would you like to share about the things you're currently struggling with? I'd love to hear from you!