Being an adult isn’t always easy and being an adult woman comes with some unique challenges. In your early 20s, you’re just starting to figure things out so you’re allowed a mistake here and there. However, once you hit 30, the “I didn’t know” excuse no longer holds any weight. It’s about time you had your act together and you know it. By 30, you should know how to do these 10 things at the very least:
- Stick to a budget. Learning how to manage your money is one of those life skills that you want to figure out sooner rather than later. Paying back your student loans, saving to buy a place of your own and still having extra left over to travel, treat yourself to a pedicure once in awhile and pitch in for your share of your best friend’s birthday dinner are all a lot easier if you aren’t just winging it every month.
- Cook a decent meal. You’re not Carrie Bradshaw and it’s not okay to use your oven as a place to store your extravagant shoe collection. No one is expecting you to have Gordon Ramsay level cooking skills, but you should be able to shop for and prepare a meal that is more extensive than scrambled eggs and toast. Cooking at home is better for your health and your budget, two things that should definitely be a priority.
- Choose the right bra. No matter the size of your boobs, there is a perfect bra out there for you. One that will make you feel comfortable and confident and make sure you aren’t experiencing the number of bra-related issues than women often have to deal with. You don’t have to resign yourself to a life of terrible bras. There are professionals out there that can help — and that includes helping you find a bra that works with the strapless bridesmaid’s dress you’ll probably forced to wear at some point.
- Stand up for yourself. If you haven’t learned to stand up for yourself by now, life is only going to get harder. From work to dating to your family and friends, there will always be times when other people don’t have your best interests in mind, so you have to be the one to advocate for yourself. You should know how to do it in a calm, mature way too because no one listens to a 30-year-old woman who has a tantrum when she isn’t getting her way.
- Stop drinking before it’s too late. We all have those nights where keeping track of the number of drinks we’ve had is impossible but by now you should know your limit. Whether that means a specific number of drinks or the point when you’re really starting to feel it, you should have the willpower and common sense to order a water as your next round. Because really, you’ve most likely had enough avoidable hangovers to make you an expert in “not drinking so much” at this point.
- Live alone. Whether you prefer to live alone or not, you should know how to do it. That means being able to pay your bills, grocery shop, clean regularly and keep everything in working order all on your own. Being able to spend time alone without complaining about how bored you are is a great quality too. As an adult, you can’t expect other people to take care of you all the time. If you’re able to live alone successfully, you can do anything.
- Say no sometimes. You can’t make everyone happy all the time, especially at your own expense. That’s why you need to be comfortable saying no. Say no to food that is bad for you (most of the time), to going out when you aren’t feeling it, to giving a guy you’re number when you’d really rather not, and to taking on more at work than you have time for. Put yourself first by saying no and sticking to it.
- Talk about your feelings. Bottling everything up isn’t going to get you what you want in the long run. In fact, it will probably sabotage your chances at being happy. By the time you’re 30, you should not only have an idea what you want and need out of life, but you should also be able to articulate those things. Your feelings are valid and being able to put them into words will serve you well.
- Take care of your skin. By the time you hit 30, you should have a good skin care regimen down pat. That includes wearing sunscreen every day, taking off all your makeup before bed and moisturizing. While you’re at it, you should probably have ditched bad habits like going to tanning beds and picking at zits by now.
- Be there for other people. Your days of being a selfish 20-something are over. If you still have close friends, that probably means you’ve learned how to be there for people when they need you. That means listening instead of talking, never passing judgment and making a real effort to keep in touch even when it’s not easy. Every 30-year-old woman needs a few good friends to keep her sane.