What Makes Me Feel Like a Real Adult… And What Doesn’t

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about where I’m at in my adulthood. The reason for this is because I’ll be 28 in less than three weeks, which means…

…DUN, DUN, DUUUUUN…

…I’ll only be two years away from turning 30.

They say your 20’s are when you learn to become an adult, and your 30’s are for actually, you know, being an adult. My realization of the fact that I only have two years left of my 20’s has me thinking, “Am I as mature as I should be in my late 20’s? Am I ready for my 30’s? Am I well on my way to becoming a REAL adult?”

I’ll admit that I’m afraid of turning 30 in only a couple years, because sometimes I feel like I’m ready for it, and sometimes I don’t. It’s the same kind of fear I got as a kid when my dad kept threatening to take the training wheels off my bike: “I want to be a big kid and ride a big kid bike, I really do. But I just need a more time to get it right.” I’ve been in my twenties for so long and have learned so much, yet I still feel like I need more time– more than just two years. Below I’ve listed a few things I’ve done or learned in my 20’s that make me feel like a real adult who is ready for the big 3-0, and a few things I still feel like I need time to work on:

What Makes Me Feel Like an Adult

• I’m married. There’s nothing like committing yourself to someone for the rest of your life to expedite the growing up process.  
• I pay my bills on time. I was bad about this in college. The lesson I learned? Not paying your bills on time equals late fees which equals more money out of my wallet. Now I know better, and knowing is half the battle.
• Most nights, I’d rather stay in than go out. I can definitely say that I’ve reached the age where I prefer drinking a glass of $10 Pinot Noir from Trader Joe’s in the comfort of my own home and being in bed by 10pm, rather than spending $50 on tequila shots at a loud, crowded bar until 2am and nursing a hangover the next morning. For example, on St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo, I hosted family dinners instead of going out to partake in the drinking festivities. If that doesn’t scream “ADULTHOOD,” I don’t know what does.
• I can cook. In college, the only thing I knew how to cook was scrambled eggs and spaghetti. Now I can confidently say I can whip up a variety of dishes and meal plan like a boss. So happy I’ve finally acquired this basic life skill.
• I just got a full-time 9-5 job. Finally, I’ll have a real work schedule again! No more working late nights that interfere with my 10pm bedtime.
• My love and appreciation for wine. I think many people can say wine is a mature, grown-up drink (unlike, say, Smirnoff Vodka). So the fact that I enjoy drinking wine, have a strong knowledge of different wine varietals, and own a fancy wine rack with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot on it makes me feel mature and grown-up.

What Doesn’t Make Me Feel Like an Adult

• My finances. I have money in my personal savings account, but it’s not as much as I’d like. And don’t even get me started on my credit cards…
• I don’t have health insurance. Unfortunately, Chris and I don’t have health insurance right now because I’m working in a restaurant and he’s working a temp job (and soon, I’ll be working a temp job, too). Chris just interviewed for a permanent position with the company he’s temping for, so if he gets it, we’ll both have health insurance again. Fingers crossed!
• I’m still working on getting my career going. My new job is going to be a great start towards gaining professional work experience and starting my career, but I still have a ways to go before I can actually say I’m a full-fledged career woman.

After compiling these lists and doing a little soul-searching, I think the answer to the aforementioned questions are: no, no, and yes.  I’m not quite as mature as I should be in my late 20’s and I’m not ready for my 30’s, but I’m sure as hell working on it. I think if I keep putting work into starting my career (like I have been), within the next couple years I’ll have a permanent full-time job, which means I’ll have health benefits and I’ll be making more money to put in my savings/pay down my credit card debt. And then? Then I’ll feel ready for 30.

What makes you feel like a real adult? What doesn’t?