No matter how well-prepared you believe yourself to be, adulthood is a scary and unpredictable place that no one is quite ready for. You may live on your own or with roommates, but either way every 20 to 30 year old has one thing in common -- adulthood is not what your parents make it out to be. So here are five tips that should apply to everything you know.

1. Send Thank-You Letters.

No matter the circumstance, always think about whether you should send a thank-you letter. If you have a job interview, send an email later that day stating that you were happy to meet with them and that if the interviewer has any questions not to hesitate to email you. If you or someone you know is in the hospital, send a thank-you to the hospital staff -- it shows that you are grateful for everything they did, even if the outcome isn’t favorable.

2. Ignore experience needed, sometimes.

No matter how many applications you will fill out or interviews you will sit through, there will always be something about experience on the job posting. Sometimes the experience portion is just there to intimidate people from applying, so it doesn't hurt to take a chance and apply anyway. The exceptions include jobs that require experience with specifics like mechanics or soundboards.

3. Keep important things in more places than your phone.

It is inevitable that you are going to put your appointments into your phone, but try to put important dates on a physical calendar. It cuts down on your phone usage and this way there is no way you can miss an appointment if you lose your phone.

4. Learn to clean and cook.

No matter how much you think about it, the bathroom doesn’t magically become clean. You also cannot live off of take-out for your entire adult life. Amazon.com has dozens of cook books for beginners to make everything from breads and cakes to three-course meals. Cleaning is a little bit harder to master, but scheduling your chores helps. If you clean the bathroom every Thursday and the kitchen every Friday, the routine will help make it seem less like a big deal.

5. It’s OK to be afraid.

Becoming an adult is scary. Sometimes you have to call your mom to ask how to make your favorite food or even just to hear her voice. Maybe you’ll call your dad and ask to set up a surprise visit. Don’t worry, no matter the relationship you have with your family now, it will be so much better when you move out. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to screw up; it’s going to happen.

Plus you can watch Disney movies whenever you want.