Surprising Things You Learn when You Become an Adult ...

1. Learning Doesn’t Stop

You can and probably will lean more on your job than you will in school. Nothing beats hands-on experience! This is one of the things you can learn when you become an adult. In school, you probably learned about manufacturing processes, MATlAB, and other engineering requirements. However, when you actually work as an engineer, there is a lot more than that.

2. Handyman

When you move out or when you become a homeowner, you will discover handy skills that you never thought existed or that you would ever need. Pro tip: duct tape solves many problems…except light bulbs. But lucky you! When your light bulb goes out, you will know how to replace it!

3. Planning and Scheduling

Up until I went to college, my parents planned everything for me. But as an adult, you learn that you have to schedule everything and if it isn't on your calendar, it is never going to happen. You literally mark everything down. And I mean everything – I even schedule my meals because I cannot function without organization and scheduling.

4. Skipping Work

Every once in a while, you are going to want to just stay home and skip a day of work. And that is totally OK, right? Wrong. Gone are the days when you could just skip a class in college to sleep in or just because you felt like it. Skipping a day of work will result in more work. It is insane how many work emails are sent in one day, but you will be spending over a day trying to catch up to those emails alone!

5. “Fun” Weekend

What is your idea of a fun weekend? I remember just a mere two years ago, a fun weekend meant shopping on end and never stopping to take breaks. Now, a fun weekend is a weekend of relaxation. I’m talking sleep, massages, and eating out at my favorite restaurants. A little retail therapy does not hurt either! Oh, and weekends will consist of some working. But the feeling that you get after being productive is amazing!

6. Splurging is Good

As you may have noticed, it is better to spend more on certain things. The better the quality, the longer they will last. I willingly splurge on clothes, food, furniture, and appliances. So, pretty much I spend more on everything. No regrets. For example, I guarantee you that the freshly cut organic mango that is sold at Whole Foods is better quality than the day-old cut generic mango that is sold at Costo. This is a fact. Some people argue over clothing, and whether you really get more for your money. From my personal experience, I have only shopped at Forever 21 several times. Peer pressure. But those clothes just don’t last. I still have and I still wear a top that I got from Neiman Marcus five years ago. It isn’t worn out and I still love it.

7. Cleaning is a Stress Reliever

Remember when you used to run away when your mom told you to clean your room? I now find joy in cleaning. I’m serious, girls! Cleaning helps many people organize not only their things, but their thoughts. I am a stress cleaner and I reap the benefits for days after a good cleaning session!

These are some things that I learned when I finally became an adult. There is a whole new level of appreciation for certain things that we dreaded before. What are some things that you learned?