I have to tell you, high school did not prepare me for college. And sure enough, college did not prepare me for grad school. But what really irritates me is that neither high school nor college prepared me for adulthood. There are so many things I wish I would have known prior to now. So many things I should have been more aware of before my twenty-third birthday. Things I wish I would have known to avoid feeling incompetent when thrown into certain situations. Hopefully this list prepares you for the joy that comes with being an adult.

1. Memorize your social security number.

The amount of times you will need to recall this magical number is infinite. It is necessary for any important document, and is often used to "prove" that you are who you are. When my debit card was charged 6 times at the local Boot Barn instead of once, the bank asked me for the last four digits of my social security number in order to prove my identity. With this, make sure you have your social security card with you. No, not in your wallet, but in your house somewhere. I know when I initially moved for college, my mom had my card in another state. And so when I went to do paperwork for my job, and needed it, I panicked

2. Know how to fill out a W-4.

When I got my first job, I had to call my mom and ask her how do this. I was so embarrassed as it is something everyone should know how to do sooner than later. If you do not know how to do this, or are unaware of what a W-4 form is, Google it or call your parents. In essence, this form tells the government how much money to take out of your check each month for taxes.

3. Get yourself a checkbook, and know how to write a check.

No, I am not crazy. I understand that it is 2015 and that everyone uses plastic, but having a checkbook is entirely underrated. My apartment complex charges an extra $10 when credit cards are used to pay rent online. This extra charge is often considered a "processing fee" and is more common than not. Having a checkbook allows you to avoid fees such as these, and is just handy to have. I suggest calling your bank to see what their policy is on ordering checks.

4. Know how much debt you have (or will have), and start creating a plan for paying it off.

Debt is a terrifying thing, and if you're anything like me, you are drowning in student loans. It is incredibly important that you keep track of the money you are borrowing, whether through loans or credit cards, and that you understand the interest rates that accompany it. Borrowing $5,000 for school does not mean you only have to pay back $5,000. Often times it means paying back $7,000 or more depending on interest and how long it takes you to pay it back. Keep this in mind at all times! Many schools have financial advisors or financial workshops that you can attend for help in these areas. If you are not in school, you can search for "debt payment calculators" online, or contact your bank.

5. Be able to do your own laundry and check your own oil.

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but apparently some students get to college still unaware of how to do their own laundry. This is a skill everyone should have. Make sure to sort your colors from your whites (unless you are using cold water, and have washed the colored clothing before), and to hang dry your delicates. Always read the tag on any shirt, pant, dress, etc. in order to wash and dry it properly. Also, if the garment says "dry clean only" you should actually take it to get dry cleaned. This isn't a suggestion, it was put on the tag for a reason. With this, be able to check your own oil! This is something everyone should know how to do - male or female. Vehicle maintenance can be a pain in the ass, but being able to check your own oil is extremely easy. You can Google a "how to," ask someone at an auto shop, ask your parents (hopefully they know), or even watch a YouTube tutorial.

6. Know what "direct deposit" is and how to set it up.

Almost any job you get these days uses direct deposit to pay their employees. If you don't know what "direct deposit" is, it mean that your paycheck is quite literally directly deposited into your bank account. You have to know what your routing number and account number are in order to set this up. If you have a checkbook, you can find this information on your checks. If you do not have a checkbook, you most likely will need to contact your bank in order to acquire this info.

7. Update your resume every so often.

As the years go by, resume structure changes. Different aspects should be showcased, while others do not matter nearly as much. It is incredibly important to be aware of what employers are looking for in today's society, and how to build the strongest resume. You can often find tutorials online, and can visit your school's career center for help!

8. Birthdays aren't as important.

"Important" may be the wrong word to use. Yes, your day of birth still holds significant importance, but the older you get, the less people care to celebrate. You will not receive as many gifts, you won't have as many of your meals or drinks paid for, and you won't get as many texts/calls at midnight. This does not mean people necessarily care less about you, it's just a part of being an adult. Friends can no longer stay up until midnight, as they have work early the next morning. Your food and drinks are not always paid for because many of your friends are probably struggling to pay their own bills, let alone yours. Again, it isn't that YOU aren't important, it is just that the celebration itself is no longer a big fiasco.

9. Learn how to do a "change of address" through the post office.

When I was in undergrad, the mailrooms on-campus took care of forwarding my mail to wherever I moved next. But, when I went from an off-campus apartment in Florida to an apartment in South Carolina, no one was there to hold my hand. Changing your address is not difficult. You can literally Google "post office change of address" and you will find the website. Just know that you should not wait last minute to get this done! If you know you are moving, start looking into how much time it takes to process the address change, and be aware of the fact that it costs you $1 (yes, seriously).

10. Understand that you cannot keep your A/C on 72 degrees all summer and still expect to have a low electric bill.

This year I live in an apartment where all utilities are included aside from electric. Because of this, I have learned rather quickly that I'd rather be a little hot than spend $50-plus (a person) to cool our apartment. Ceiling fans have become my best friend. When you're broke, or have a lot of other bills to be thinking about, sacrificing super cool air is totally worth it. This also applies come winter time. You can put on multiple layers of clothing, as well as use flannel sheets or several comforters at night. I promise, it is not that bad. If you are not broke or worried about money, then cool your house as you please. But if you are anything like me, you need to save money wherever possible. Keeping the A/C between 75 and 77 degrees in the summer when you're home, and around 80 degrees when you aren't home, can seriously help you save!

11. Know how to prioritize.

If you have three assignments due next week along with an exam, and meetings for the organization you're in, you probably should pass on hitting the town with your friends. Yes, you may suffer from severe FOMO (fear of missing out) but that is a part of growing up. You shouldn't be failing any of your classes because you party too much. You shouldn't be dropping $100 on a concert ticket if you're $5,000 in credit card debt. Now is the time to take a serious look at your life and get your shit together. You're an adult the minute you turn 18, whether you like it or not, and while it's fine to "live a little," you should realize what is truly important and what is not.

12. Your friend group will most likely decline in numbers.

This is something I had a really difficult time with. It takes a lot of effort to remain close to someone, and that effort must be made by all parties involved. I realized fairly quickly after graduation that many of my "friends" and sorority sisters were not willing to make that effort. I do not think the lack of effort was a personal jab at me by any means, but everyone was suddenly in different places in their lives with different priorities. I had a college degree under my belt and was preparing to make the move to South Carolina for grad school. My younger friends and sisters were focusing on what exam they had the next week, or what social event was coming up. And again, I want to stress that nothing is wrong with that! This process simply helped to learn who was willing to prioritize being my friend and who was not. Which in retrospect was great because it is 100-times better to have 10 close friends rather than 100-blah friends.

13. Networking is incredibly important.

This is kind of cliché, as well as common sense, but networking can be very beneficial. Knowing people, who know people, can lead to so many opportunities such as job offers, recommendations letters, and more. So, how do you network? Utilize the alumni of the organizations you are apart of. Create a LinkedIn profile. Attend career fairs. Get business cards from anyone you meet. Get to know your professors and/or bosses on a more personal (but appropriate) level. The older we get, the more important it is to "know the right people," so why not start now?

14. Know how to cook a dish or two.

I hate cooking. No, I'm not bad at it. I just don't like to do it. I'd rather bake for months than ever cook an actual meal. But alas, as an adult you should be able to cook at least one or two dishes. Before I went to college, I asked my mom to teach me how to cook her "regular" dishes (aka the five things she made for me growing up). I wanted to be able to go to the grocery store, get the ingredients, and make an actual dish for myself and my friends. Being able to cook something is an incredibly nice skill to have under your belt, even if that something is incredibly simple!

15. Everyone's 20s look different, and that is OK.

This is one piece of advice I need to listen to myself. While everyone back home is getting married, pregnant, buying houses, etc. I am still doing homework and binge watching Netlfix. Sometimes, I feel as if I am doing something wrong. Like I am not using my 20's the way I should be. But that isn't true at all. Everyone has a different idea of what their life should look like at different points of time. I know that I want to finish getting my master's degree, get myself a career, and be able to support myself before I take a walk down the isle. I know that I would rather stay in with a nice cup of coffee than go out and rage. I'm a bit of a grandma, and that is perfectly okay. It's what I want to do for my own life. You may have a completely different idea of what your young adult life will look like, and that is your prerogative! Don't let anyone ever tell you that you aren't doing your 20s right. Don't ever feel like you are doing something "wrong." You aren't, your life is your life. Enjoy it.