Sometimes, it’s easy to look at our generation and marvel at just how unprepared a lot of us are. It is also a completely relatable characteristic.
“Hey did you study?”
“No, did you?”
“Nope.”
*instantaneous bond* and may the odds be ever in our favor.
Whether or not it was the same for generations before us, we’re given the boot into a world that expects independence when a lot of us haven’t learned the lessons that make us ready for it. I’ve been living on my own for about a year and I’ve had my big girl job for just about as long. I like to think I’ve figured out a few things in my short time of being a fully functioning adult. So, here, we’re going to figure out together just what the hell we are actually supposed to be doing as the boss babes and bros we are.
Lesson #1- Win the numbers game
It’s the most important one and perhaps the most common. If you have your money life together you probably have a lot more together than you think. A lot of people don’t have great financial sense, but this can dictate your future. There are plenty of places to learn money management skills if your high school life skills class didn’t exactly flip the switch for you. Learning how to create a budget, how to save money, and how to improve your credit score will make your financial situation a lot easier, regardless of what kind of paycheck you’re picking up. Hey, if you’re picking up a paycheck you’re half way there in my book.
Lesson #2- Learn to cook
I’m still mastering this so I’m in no position to give advice yet, here we are, and you’re still reading. If you’re living on your own or with a roommate and you’re still relying on meals that you either stick in the microwave or the oven and simply wait for, then it’s time to start pushing the boat out a little further. There are a lot of easy dinner recipes that can get you used to simple cooking techniques like frying, boiling, and preparing whole ingredients. A lot of these can be made for under $5 a meal. Literally cheaper than the mocha latte you picked up this morning. It might sound like child’s play if you’ve done it a lot already, but people who have no experience of cooking for themselves often have a barrier of confidence to break through, and giving yourself an easy start is a great way to break that barrier.
Lesson #3- Become a time lord
You aren’t going to meet your goals unless you endeavor to work towards them. That means making better use of your time. Thankfully, we have lots of apps to help with that nowadays. Thank God my calendar app reminded me of that meeting because Lord knows I’m not responsible enough to. Think about your goals for the day, for the week, and even the month, and start prioritizing how you spend your time with time management apps. Just make sure to give yourself free time as well. As productive as you might want to be, painting yourself into a corner is just more likely to make you give up on it all.
Lesson #4- BE THE HYPE
Confidence is another level of life skill that gets left behind. No-one is going to sell you to potential employers, to new social circles, and strangers in formal situations. You can learn plenty of tricks to boost your own self-confidence, such as practicing meditation and positive body language. But confidence is just one part of the wider skill you should learn: positive mental wellbeing. Learning to be mindful of your emotions, to accept when you’re feeling low, and endeavoring towards good mental health is essential.
You shouldn’t feel embarrassed if there’s a life skill you don’t have yet. It’s the same for all of us. I’m literally blogging about this and don’t even have a year under my belt at this whole adulating thing. Knowledge is power though so the more you know... right? We’re all trying to make our way.
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