Adulting 101: Five Tips For Surviving Adulthood

Adulting is hard! If given a choice, all of us would probably choose that happy, care-free school life where we only needed to worry about getting good grades and getting through to the next year. But once you grow up, you have little choice. There’s no pocket money to bail you out. You have to make money, you have to get a job, you have to pay bills, you have to save money, you have to invest it… oh dear lord, the list is endless! So, if you’re on the precipice of being anointed into this sacred stage of your life, and if you need survival tips from experienced, bonafide adults, we reckon this guide to surviving adulthood could come to your rescue.  

5 Tips For Surviving Adulthood To Simplify Your Otherwise Chaotic Life 

These 5 tips on surviving adulthood can give you just that semblance of peace and make your life seem more in your control. 

Tip 1: Get A Job, Pronto 

If Ben Whitaker, played by Robert De Niro can become the titular Intern at age 70, what’s stopping you from getting a job? Sure, a job looks like a big responsibility and a break from that cushy life you’ve lived until now, but it is the first step to adulting. The key is to get a job in a field that you love. How amazing is to be rewarded in money for something you are passionate about? Plus, the financial freedom the money from the job brings, makes you answerable only to yourself and no one else. Now that’s the kind of adulting we could get used to! 

Tip 2: Don’t Let Money Go To Your Head – Budget Instead 

Once that first pay-check comes in, you’ll want to treat yourself to the best things. While there’s nothing wrong with that, you cannot sustain such a lifestyle in the long run, or you’ll end up broke. So, budgeting is the next obvious tip for surviving adulthood. Now, it isn’t the 2000s, so you don’t to create budgets manually on Excel sheets. No, today, you can do so on mobile apps. Just enter figures like your income and fixed expenses and let the calculator do rest. With these apps, you can track your money, make conscious spending decisions, and see you what you can and cannot afford. 

Tip 3: Spend More Time Honing Life Skills and Less Time on Social Media 

Yes, yes, we know – we sound like a broken record, or that aunty who keeps telling you that you’re always on social media, while she’s stalking you on the same platform. But think about it – even if you spend 2 hours a day on your social platforms, and cut that time by half, you can spend it on honing a skill or developing a new hobby. Why not learn how to cook, play an instrument, or even get a certification that can help you advance in your career. Now, isn’t this good use of your time and an excellent tip for surviving adulthood? 

Tip 4: Choose Role Models Who Teach The Right Lessons 

It may sound cliché but an excellent adulthood tip is to listen to folks more experienced than you and learn from their mistakes. Listen to your dad when he says, ‘don’t let success go to your head and failure go to your heart’. You may not like it, being delulu is not the solulu – you have to pay your bills on time, you have to repay debts you take on, and you have to make responsible choices. So remember to choose role models who can help enrich your life. We recommend the likes of Ratan Tata, Malala Yousafzai, Sachin Tendulkar, Oprah Winfrey, and other such greats. 

Tip 5: Make Your Money Work For You  

In the words of the G.O.A.T shark Mark Cuban, “I don’t care what anyone says. Being rich is a good thing”. If he’s your spirit animal, you should do what he does on Shark Tank – you should make your money work for you by investing. Investing can take various shapes and forms. There’s investing to grow money and investing to save the money you’ve already made by not spending it on unpredictable expenses – accidents, medical emergencies, etc. If you don’t know much about investments, you can turn to a financial expert to help you navigate this complex world and invest in health insurance, life insurance and other savings schemes that generate excellent returns. 

Wrapping It Up 

With the above tips for surviving adulthood, you’ll have completed your initiation from a carefree individual to a responsible young adult, who’s mastered the art of adulting and found your way in the big bad world out there. Sure, life will keep throwing curveballs at every turn, but at least you’ll be equipped to deal with them. We leave you with the wisest thing one of our dearest ‘Friends’ Monica Geller, said to Rachel Green, “Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You’re gonna love it”.