Have you paid your first bill? Have your parents started asking for a wedding and grandchildren? Have you started working at your first #RealWorld job?
Everybody has a different opinion on when exactly you qualify to receive your adulthood card, but if there was an entrance exam for Adulthood, it would probably look something like this. Here are four things every adult (yes, including you!) should know how to do.
Can you…write a cheque?
Apart from managing your budget and keeping track of your income, as an adult it’s important that you know how to write a cheque. Sometimes a cheque is the way to go, because you can’t always pay with a card, and it isn’t safe to carry around large amounts of cash.
Tip: Don’t be that person who signs in the memo line, forgets to write the amount fully in words, or doesn’t sign the back of the cheque. Also please make sure you have the money in your account before you write that cheque!
Can you…change a spare tire?
It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl–you should know how to change a tire. Take an hour or two out of your Sunday afternoon and learn to change a spare tire. Ask a relative to teach you, visit your mechanic, or even stop by a filling station; there’s bound to be someone there who can help you learn this crucial skill. It just might save your life (or someone else’s!).
Tip: Don’t forget to keep your tools close at hand. Make sure everything you need to change a tire is in your boot at all times, and check your spare tire every 6 months to make sure it’s in good condition.
Can you…boil rice or fry an egg?
You’re an adult. You should know how to feed yourself. Boiling white rice is a simple enough skill (you can even use a rice cooker). Just add stew and you’re set for days! And you don’t want to be that 35 year old who still can’t fry an egg without getting little bits of shell inside. Learn to crack an egg properly please.
Tip: Make sure you wash your rice before cook it. And seasoning your egg is just as important as frying it. Practice makes perfect, so take some time to get the right ratio of salt, pepper, and other spices.
Can you…do your own laundry?
Even though washing machines have made it easier to do laundry quickly, most of us just end up leaving it for our parents or housekeepers (or younger siblings) to do. If you still don’t know what setting to use, how much soap to add, or what fabric softener is really used for, now is the time to learn. You also don’t have to iron your own clothes every morning (if you can afford a laundry service or have extra loving parents, go ahead and prosper!). But you should at least know how to do it.
Tip: Before you put anything in the washing machine, separate your laundry into lights and colours. Don’t wash white shirts with dark green socks unless you plan to wear lime green shirts to work.
Let us know in the comments–what do you think should be required for adulthood?
