Your 20s usually tend to be the time to figure things out and have fun. A big part of that, however, is experiencing some scary firsts that were taken care of for you by your parents when you were younger. So what are these experiences, exactly, and what does it mean to finally be a grown ass woman? Here are 13 scary firsts that are a huge wake up call to adulthood.
- Doing your taxes by yourself. Should you do them at home on your computer? Should you pay someone else to do them? Will you mess up and have the IRS knocking on your door one day? Unless you’re rich… probably not. But it’s a scary thought we all have, anyway.
- Looking for your own place. You’ve finally reached that point in adulthood where you can move out. But now you have to deal with paperwork, negotiations, and possibly signing onto a scary mortgage that you’re not sure you’ll pay off anytime soon. But hey, at least you get freedom!
- Debt collectors start calling you. Hopefully your head is above water and this doesn’t happen, but we’re human. Time has passed since you graduated, or you’ve been racking up credit card debt and you might have missed a payment… or a few. It’s scary, but this is a sign that you need to get a financial plan to stay on top of it.
- People start asking about your love life like it’s your job. No one but your peers cared who you were dating in school. But now your parents are the ones hounding you to see if grandkids are on the horizon. If you’re nowhere near ready, then this is might take some maneuvering.
- Having your first real relationship. Perhaps you’re in love, but now you realize love is different at this age. Love sometimes means talking about financial plans and living arrangements. There’s more commitment and more at stake. But if it’s “The One”, it’s worth it!
- Making your first big purchase. There’s no comparison to the purchases you’ll make in your 20s to things you bought when you were younger. Maybe it’s a new car, a home, or an expensive trip to treat yourself. Either way, you might find it surreal spending that kind of cash for the first time. But things are expensive and that’s life!
- Getting your first big girl job. You might have been working towards this goal for a long time, so when you achieve it, you get freaked out that you’ll lose it. What if you’re not really ready? What if your boss is a Miranda Priestly? What if your coworkers hate you? Don’t sweat it, though. Even if these do happen, remember it’s only a job.
- Shopping around for health insurance. If you’re lucky enough to have insurance provided to you through your work, then you might get to skip this one. But if not, you might be really stressed about what you could afford and what’s best for you. Breathe and do all the research you can. You’ll get through it!
- Realizing you’re not a kid anymore and you don’t care what they’re into. In the early 20s, you can still blend in the college crowd. But eventually you’re going to be the “old person” to them. Guess what? That’s be perfectly okay! They don’t care about some of the things you’re into, and you don’t care about what they’re into. It happens to everyone.
- Your beloved childhood movie is remade. You might remember being younger and your parents saying a new movie is actually a remake, and that meant nothing to you. Now that Jurassic Park and The Terminator are getting reboots, you’re freaking out! Are you really getting that old for this to happen? Yes.
- Paying for all of your groceries on your own. One of the perks of having your own money and being a grown up is getting what you what when you want. But no one ever told you how expensive groceries are. This alone will forever make you thankful to your parents for feeding you. You now make yourself eat food you don’t really like just because it’s affordable.
- Realizing that you actually need a budget. You keep spending more money than you’re making. You have goals and you want to do things, but it seems financially impossible. You know you need a budget, but you put it off. Who knows what you’ll have to cut out to make ends meet? Sometimes being in the dark feels easier. But it’s foolish.
- You realize you’d much rather stay in than go out. If you were the type to always look for something to get into when you’re young, then might be worried about your reputation. But let’s face it. You have to work now, you’re tired, and going out gets expensive. So you’re getting older… embrace it with Netflix and junk food!