Adulting isn’t something that just happens post-college, it’s a practice that actually begins right when you graduate high school! Without mom and dad around, lifestyle growth happens fast. You’re learning how to make pasta, do laundry and pay bills without their help, and that can mean a whole lot of stress when you’re trying to balance school and friends too.
That’s why we’ve partnered with Brita to share our best tips for filtering out pressure, so you can master adulting on your own speed and have an easy transition into collegiette responsibilities. Here are our three top pieces of advice:
1. Find a comfortable schedule
The hardest part about adulting is, well, having no idea how to do it. That’s why in your first few weeks of college it’s important to take life day by day, relax and feel in control during this exciting fresh start.
Try setting your own schedule of when to adult and when to spend time taking in all the fun college has to offer. Invest in a planner or journal, and make a calendar where you can pencil in activities like Sunday brunch with friends or a philanthropy event with your sorority. Also put in some “adult” type activities like grocery shopping or researching internships for next semester. And if you fall behind on your grown-up responsibilities, don’t sweat it! What’s important is finding balance so that whatever you’re working on, you’re having a great time doing it. Just set some new adulting-related goals for the next week, and start fresh then.
2. Ease in at your own pace
A huge tip for taking the pressure out of adulting is to slip in to it naturally when you’re ready. Try not to get caught up in what you “should” be doing with your life, but instead focus on the right timing for you!
Don’t put the weight on your shoulders to get a campus job, pay your own cell phone bill and basically be a perfect student immediately. Nobody expects that of you! Instead, set some expectations with your parents before you go back to college about what new responsibilities you plan to master that semester. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you do need to call mom or your big sister to ask how long you should boil the water for pasta. Soak up their encouragement that you’re really doing a great job during this transition so far, and then continue to set new goals for yourself of what big thing you’ll accomplish next.
3. Celebrate your successes
Pride yourself on wins like learning how to do the perfect load of laundry or packing a well-rounded lunch. Pat yourself on the back when you keep plants alive for more than a month, or make it to the gym a few days each week. Congratulate yourself when you switch from drinking tap water to buying a Brita Stream and reusable water bottle.
Adulthood is about feeling proud of all your successes––even the ones that only mean drinking cleaner, better tasting water! Finding joy in adulting automatically filters out the pressure since you can appreciate the way you’re learning and growing.
Even if the college transition initially catches you off guard, know that you’ll eventually figure it out! By utilizing our tips for easing out the pressure, asking parents and friends for help and not rushing the process, you’ll find success and fun in your adult responsibilities. Enjoy the ride, collegiettes!