As much as I miss the glory days, I’m ecstatic to say I’m not the same person I was 5 years ago. Long gone are the days when I’d call my mom to make my doctor appointments for me, and here are the days to making my own decisions.
“Adulting” comes with endless number of perks that I could go on and on about, but who knew being a grown-up was also a learning moment. Here are a few things that I’ve learned since I’ve been on the dark side (aka the real world). J
My parents were right – about everything.
When I was younger, “you don’t understand” was my top response for whenever my parents tried to give me advice about life, relationships, work, school… anything really. Boy, was I wrong. It took me 25 years, but I finally understand that parents were right – about it all.
You learn about things you thought you already knew.
I learned this the hard way when I accidentally put dish soap instead of dish detergent in the wash and later came home to an entirely flooded kitchen (this was two years ago). After that, any time I did house chores like laundry or dishes, I double checked the correct way to do things. Now it’s become second nature.
TJ Maxx is everything.
I don’t care how basic this sounds, it’s true. Maybe 18-year-old me who only shopped at Forever21 didn’t appreciate the amazing home décor and discounted designer brands, but adult me can’t go in without leaving with 10 things.
Health is a thing. An important one.
Growing up I had an extremely active lifestyle (nine years of competitive volleyball). I didn’t do it because I wanted to stay healthy, I just loved to play, and BOY do I miss those days. Back then I could eat a whole pizza pie and not think twice. Today, that would result in a week of feeling guilty and trying to work it off. Being conscious of what I eat is one of the biggest transitions I’ve had to face. But I must say, eating healthier is much more rewarding.
When it comes to friends – quality over quantity.
I’ve learned that not all friendships last, and that’s okay. Having a big squad to go out with is great and all, but having a few amazing people on your side is way better than a ton of average ones.
Pick your battles wisely
I grew up listening to my dad telling me this. Somethings just aren’t worth stressing about, and definitely not worth compromising a relationship over my ego.
Night in > Night out
Sure, going out with friends is a blast (and I’m still guilty of doing a lot). But as I grow older, I realize that nothing beats pouring a glass of wine and watching a movie on a Friday night, not to mention all the money that’s saved.
