My Adulthood Victories

I often picked fun at myself for "adulting fails" last year- because, let's face it, they were funny. Sometimes laughing at yourself is helpful. Looking back, I see that laughing at myself helped me own something that I would have otherwise been insecure about.

After a while, I stopped laughing and the insecurity surfaced.

I then realized that I am an adult and I want to know what I am doing.

So this year- as I began a new job and got a fresh start, I decided to start celebrating my "adulthood victories." I started making a list.

Then I lost the list.

(I'm still working on my "keeping track of stuff" victory)

Here are the victories that I can remember off the top of my head.

1. Understanding taxes

This year I owed a scary large amount after doing my taxes- which caught me by surprise because the year prior I got a very large tax return. It was a set back that took away most of my savings, but it did result in me understanding taxes pretty thoroughly.

2. Investing in stock

I own 4 shares of stock! Shout out to Kelly for teaching me about it. I'm not sure how long I'll keep them or if I'll make money but honestly it just feels cool to own stock.

3. Amending my tax return

Unlike many people my age- I've had to have my own health insurance from the time I moved to Florida. I don't know how to explain this whole situation in a few sentences so let's just say this: Lots of money down the drain, 2 day panic and paperwork, my roommate saw my true colors pretty early during our time together.

4. Learning to cook gravy

Gravy is not the only thing I learned how to cook but it is the hardest thing I've learned how to cook and the most important thing to me. Gravy is the most important thing to me. I consider myself an above average cook now- which is a BIG step up from last year.

5. Meal Prepping

I'm still not GREAT at this, but I've wasted WAY less food this year than last year. I check expiration dates and buy just what I need.

6. Taking care of actual plants

This is mostly my roommate actually but I have helped and still want it to be on my list. I will say that one of the plants is my very own and it's been successfully growing for a month now.

7. Understanding credit card/credit scores

I don't consider myself a super responsible spender- but I am proud to say I've never bought more on my credit card than I could actually afford.

8. Budgeting

I made an amazing google spread sheet that I am very proud about and have an app that keeps track of my spending. I could do a better job following my budget but I am proud that I'm at least mindful of my expenses.

9. Finding a counselor and doctor that I like.

This is a victory for SO many reasons.

10. Casual dating

I didn't actually enjoy the casual dating experience- but it's something I've always wanted to do and I did it. Plus, it resulted in me learning a lot about myself.

11. Driving in the city

Growing up we rarely drove in a city and when we did it was a tense, stressful situation for everyone in the vehicle. Every time I drive on the highway I can feel the same rush of excitement my younger self felt when we were in a city. "I've made it mom," I say.

12. Cleaning

It's not that I didn't clean before- it's that I was awful at it. I didn't even know it was something you could be bad at! Now I'd say I'm pretty good at it.

13. Friends my own age

It feels so good to relate to people again.

Most of these victories were born out of crisis. I'm trying to remember that when I encounter crisis.

~Jean

My Adulthood Fails

Holy Moly!

It has been one year since I moved into my first apartment!

Which means I survived an entire year of "adulting."

I am so proud of myself for going on this terrifying, expensive, confusing, lonely adventure alone.

Also, I am so glad the first year is over.

To celebrate, I've decided to laugh at myself. Join me as I reminisce on my adulthood fails.

• For a week, my milk was thick and my meat tasted weird, even though they were not near expiring. I just assumed I was paranoid and this was normal. Turns out my fridge was on it's lowest setting so I had been low-key food poisoning myself all week.

• I live on the second floor and park far from my apartment, so when possible I try bringing my groceries in one trip. One time I had just barely too much for one trip, but I attempted it anyway. I spent so long strategically rearranging the groceries that it would've taken less time to take two trips-- also I broke 5 eggs.

• The first time I tried frying food, I thought the oil was supposed to boil. It ended up evaporating, setting off the fire alarm, and getting in my eyes. I had to open the window and stop the fire alarm all while barely being able to open my eyes from the painful fumes.

• Some weeks I would only be home for a short amount of time, making it hard to buy groceries and cook. At one point I went an entire week with barely any food in my apartment. I lived off of granola bars and lunchables.

• Through a ridiculous 3 hour phone call, during which I was practically brainwashed and hypnotized, I somehow was conned into paying for a probably-sketchy 2 night cruise for me and a not-yet identified guest. After I realized how crazy this was, I called to get my money back. They didn't put up a fight and I attribute that to the fact that I told the customer service lady that I, too, was recording the conversation.

• I bought my first bottle of wine without realizing that I did not have a corkscrew. My friend mentioned that some people use a screw and a hammer to open the bottle. So I put a screw in, but I didn't have a hammer so I improvised with a can opener. while trying to pull it out, the cork broke and the can opener smacked me in the mouth. I had a bloody, bruised lip.

• I, for some reason, have still not bought a tape measure or yard stick. When I need to measure something, I compare it to the length of my own body by laying down next to it.

• I improvised while cooking a breakfast casserole, putting some bread that would soon expire in the bottom. It was the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted, but it took so much time, effort, and so many ingredients that I tried to force myself to eat it all week. I eventually gave up and threw it away.

• The first time I tried getting health insurance, the agent I spoke with signed me up for some sort of not-actually-insurance health club thing. I paid for this for like 3 months before learning that it wasn't actually health insurance.

• I have been mistaken as a middle schooler about 8 times and a high schooler too many times to count. One time I was mistaken as a middle schooler while actually sitting at the teacher's desk in a classroom.

I am so full of nostalgia.

I still cannot believe that I actually understand cooking, have my own insurance, my own furniture, my own CAT.

Now I've come full circle, because tomorrow I move, and begin a new job in a new county.

Abundant blessings and good vibes,

Jean