If I have learned anything about being on my own, it is that growing up is hard. Becoming an adult is hard, and having responsibilities is never easy. You never realize how difficult it actually is to be an adult until one day you have to grow up and take responsibility. When I was younger, I definitely took advantage of not having to pay bills, learning how to cook (not just using the microwave...aha), learning to do laundry, etc.

I bet you didn’t know that chances are you were going to burn food at least once or twice. I bet you didn’t know how to balance your checkbook (if you even had one), how to apply for insurance or fill out your tax forms before you started this whole “adulating” thing. I bet you didn’t know that you have to measure the amount of soap you put in the washer or that you should wash some of your clothes on delicate so they don’t shrink or lose their color. They don’t teach you those things in high school before you are sent off into the real world.

Growing up, you didn’t learn how to manage your time. You went about your day, just one thing to the next, whatever you wanted to do. But as an adult, you have alarms to get up everyday. You have school or work, or both. You have extracurricular activities or you make time for your friends and family when you can. At the end of the day, you come home to having to clean, cook, or maybe you have kids and a spouse to take care of. But that’s the reality of becoming an adult and they never said it was going to be easy.

Growing up is a part of life, we all have to grow up at some point. “Adulting” is hard. It was so easy when your only responsibility was to finish your spelling homework that was due at the end of the week or when your only concern was what you were going to wear to school the next day. Being an adult is so much more than that.

Being an adult is scary. Going out into the real world is scary. Taking responsibility for yourself and your actions is scary. But you know what? You have to grow up whether you are ready for it or not. There can be so many great things that will come from growing up, no matter how difficult it is.

You can do it. It’s scary, but trust me, you will survive this whole “adulting” stage.