How to Deal with the Frightening Fact That You’re Becoming an Adult
by Ace Mamaril
Alright y’all, I haven’t written in a while and I apologize for that; I’ve been really busy with school, work, and band stuff. Before anything else, I’d like to thank my friend, Kristine, for giving me an idea on what to write next. I honestly ran out of ideas. And I’d also like to thank YOU for reading this blog entry. :)
I am aware that most of my friends and the people around me are almost adults now. Ergo, they (and you!) must feel pressured and frightened about what lies beyond our teenage years. I’ve also felt this way before. When I graduated from High School, instead of being joyous and excited I was completely terrified and anxious. You see, my biggest fear is not being in control. Honestly, I’m a control freak. And I felt like my youth was slipping away from my grasp. It felt like I was in a roller coaster to adulthood; I was going to get there before I was ready and I couldn’t do anything to stop this roller coaster of life. I thought, gone are the merry days when my biggest problem was just how my crush will notice me. I had to face real life problems.
After High School, I worked as a (y’all will not believe this) service crew in a fast food chain. I stopped studying for a while in order to have a taste of the real world. And believe me, it was a NIGHTMARE. I can say I went to hell and back just to be where I am today because of that experience (TA song reference!). But even though it was hard and I hated most of it, I also learned a lot from this job. I met a lot of people that made me realize how I shouldn’t take things for granted and how grueling it is to earn money. That experience made me want to strive towards my goals. I graduated High School as an immature, egotistical girl, but I entered college as a clear headed, confident lady. So yeah, I guess that’s one of the reasons why some see me as an authoritative person.
By the way, I’m turning 20 years old this September. Yes, omg, this is a milestone for me. I will officially say goodbye to my teenage years. I’m not a pro and I’m still immature at times but I would love to give you some tips to prepare you for adulthood and help you deal with the frightening fact that you’re becoming an adult.
1. Get a job.
This is what I always tell my friends, try being employed. It can just be a summer job, temporary job, or part time job. Just get a decent one and from this you will surely be learning valuable stuff you can’t comprehend inside the four corners of a classroom. I suggest trying this before you graduate so it will be less hard to adjust to life after university.
2. Fake it until you make it.
Seriously bruh, the secret lies with how you present yourself to others. It doesn’t matter if you have to fake your confidence because along the way of lying to yourself and lying to others, you will start to believe in it too. So fake it, pull it off, and then make it. Trust me, I speak from experience. Just recently, I had a job as an assistant documenter for an international conference in New World Manila Bay Hotel. Bruh, I was in a meeting full of Executive Directors, company owners, chairpersons, etc.! I WAS LITERALLY SITTING NEXT TO THE CHAIRWOMAN OF UN ENVIRONMENT! I was anxious as hell. I mean, these people were professionals, and I haven’t even graduated college yet. So, yeah, I was scared to make a mistake and everyone was very intimidating but I didn’t look scared or intimidated at all. I faked my confidence, acted like I was also a professional and it worked. I even had the guts to have a chat with the chairwoman of the UN Environment, haha! Next time you’re in a situation like this, you know what to do.
3. Stop trying to please everyone.
Trying to meet everyone’s expectations takes too much effort and time, so meet your own. As you grow older you will realize that the only thing that matters is your opinion about yourself, because whatever you do, people will always have something to say.
4. Start with small tasks.
If you’re an extrovert, you can go ahead and skip this number. But if you’re an introvert or a socially awkward person (like how I was before), this is my recommendation for you. Try volunteering to pay the electric bill or ordering for your friends in a fast food chain. Don’t get nervous if you can’t put your money inside your wallet fast enough when you’ve finished ordering, just step aside and take your time. The truth is, cashiers or other people don’t really mind if you’re having a hard time doing this as long as you don’t disrupt the line. So step aside, mi amigo, and the person behind you can order. (Don’t even pretend that this isn’t your problem too, haha!) This task will help you practice your skills on verbal communication and will boost your confidence, I swear. Like what they always say, ‘practice makes perfect’.
5. Live alone.
Alright, I know not everybody gets the chance to live alone but for me, this is an essential in order for an individual to achieve the maturity and sense of responsibility needed when becoming an adult. You don’t necessarily have to be ‘alone’; just try moving out of your parents’ house. If you won’t have the chance to achieve this in college, you can always try this once you graduate.
And that’s it folks, I hope this entry helps you somehow. You can send me topic ideas you’d like me to discuss on my next blog entry on the question tab, hehe. Thanks for reading!