Ever since I graduated high school, I’ve thinking thinking about how to be an adult. I remember quite vividly the moment I realized the whole process was going to be moderately uncomfortable.
My friend and I had just landed in Figi for the beginning of a year of living in trailer parks and working for minimum wage in Australasia post-college “mental expansion”. We were staying at the cheapest most rustic hostel on the cheapest most adorable island, armed with an iPod each (it was a long time ago) and backpack full of vodka books.
I had never been to Figi before. I had never been to a HOSTEL before. Armed with my squeaky plastic shoes and my travel-sized shampoo bottles, I ventured into the stall shower (which, conveniently, was located basically in the reception area). I stepped in the shower feeling the “adultness” of the situation in that special way you are only capable of in your early twenties.
As I contemplated the mountainous volumes of my own adult knowledge, I slowly realized…the water in the shower was not heating up.
It was not cold, persay–it was roughly the same temperature as drinking water when it comes from a public school water fountain. When I realized it was not going to get any hotter…that, pathetically enough, was my moment. I felt my body adjust the the new temperatures of adulthood and realized:
“Hey. I don’t have to shower this whole year if I don’t want to. In adulthood, I make up the rules.”
I finished my days in Figi happily brushing dried salt water out of my hair in the morning before running off to play with the rabid, flea-covered tough but lovable island dogs. I’ve been making my own rules ever since. The key ingredients to making your own rules are simple: fearlessness and perseverance.
Much like “not drinking on weeknights” or “buying ingredients to cook dinner” fearlessness and perseverance sound much easier in theory than they are in practice. However, as is the case with all scary new endeavors (except bangs, which are a crapshoot every time) the benefits outweigh the costs.
Give it a try! Make a rule for yourself and post it below.
PS–there is a reason I recommended Figi for a girl’s weekend guest-posting on American Girl Dating Around the World. Check it out!
PPS- Thanks to Tom Winckels for the banner photo.