Editorial: Are you ready for the “Real World”?
No one is ever really prepared for “The Real World.” An existing misconception suggests that once you move out of your family’s home and into a dorm, you’ll magically learn everything you need to know in four years at college. However, senior year approaches quickly, and you’ll find yourself pulling out hair while you apply for jobs, find a permanent place to live and think about making friends post-graduation.
For those of you that are scared about graduation because you aren’t ready for “Real World” duties, here are some things to think about!
Important paperwork
First, get a locked box, find all your important paperwork (birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, secondary ID, birthday money, etc.) and keep it all in one place. You’ll use these things a lot in life, and you should be responsible with these documents. Learn what they do and what you’ll need them for, like when you decide to ditch your problems and flee to Mexico!
Learn to cook
I know what you’re thinking: “I can’t cook! I’ll burn the house down!” Listen, it doesn’t have to be approved by Chef Gordon Ramsay. Learn how to cook simple things: eggs and toast, grilled cheese, spaghetti. These things aren’t hard to make, and once you start doing things on your own, you’ll be feeling more grown up in no time!
Budgeting
Learning to budget your money is mandatory for survival in the big and scary “Real World”. Unfortunately, this does mean that you can’t spend all of your paychecks on $100 shoes or concert tickets all the time, unless you are okay with having your brand new $100 shoes at that awesome concert with no place to live.
Learn to do your laundry
This one goes out to the college students who still don’t know how to do their own laundry, because we all know you’re out there. Please. Learn to do your laundry before you go out into the “Real World”; your mother won’t always be there to separate your lights from your darks. Don’t forget to remove the lint from the lint trap. Your flaming house will hate you if you don’t.
Don’t worry about too much. Life happens. You’ll handle some of it, you’ll struggle with other bits. Enjoy the stuff between the struggles. That’s what it’s all about.
