Becoming An Adult For Dummies: 5 Basic Things Every College Student Should Know

By Francine Fluetsch on June 19, 2015

They say college is the midpoint between the real world and still being a kid.

image via econjeff.blogspot.com

While it’s nice to milk being a kid once in a while and have your parents do things for you, you should use your time in college to prep for the adult world, because I hear that place is scary. So what exactly should you know before you become a real adult?

1) Get a credit card

If you don’t have one of these babies already, you need to get one. A lot of banks can help you set up a college card, so it doesn’t cost anything to open it up, and it will really help set you up for when you become a real adult out in that big, scary world.

Some people opt for only having debit cards because they don’t trust themselves with credit cards, and I understand where you are coming from. The problem is, however, that when you get into that real world and want to buy a car or a home, you are going to need a good credit score, which won’t happen if you haven’t been building your credit.

If you are afraid that you will misuse the credit card, only allow yourself to use it for certain purchases like groceries or school related items. That way, you won’t go over your credit limit and won’t be splurging away money you wont be able to pay back.

Note: Always, always, always make sure to pay your credit card on time! A lot of these payments are now done online, and you should get email reminders, but make it an adult habit to check on your spending and know when your statements are due. Also, pay the full statement, not just the minimum payment. On an actual credit card, paying the minimum means you will be paying a little at a time, which looks awesome, but this will allow the bank to tack on interest for your next payments, and will cause you to slowly dig yourself into a hole that you might not be able to get out of, so be careful!

Store credit cards, like Target and JCPenney, are not going to tack on interest when you only pay the minimum, so you can do it on these, but just be cautious. Your credit will build faster if you are paying off multiple cards on time, so it’s okay to open up a credit card with your bank, a Target card, and a GameStop card, but don’t go crazy with opening accounts and always make sure to keep track of them.

2) Important personal information

If you don’t know your social security number by heart yet, you really want to make it a priority. You will need that number for job applications, for paperwork if you are going to the doctor’s office, when you are applying to a school related position, and many other things. You don’t want to be carrying your actual social card around, so make sure those numbers are tucked away in your mind and the card is tucked away in a safe. Your parents probably still have it right now, along with many other important documents that you will now need to take into your possession.

You’ll want to have your birth certificate, passport (if you don’t have one I highly recommend getting one, you never know when it will come in handy), immunization records, health and dental insurance plan, and anything else they have stashed away for you.

3) Dealing with finances

Up to this point, saving money is sort of on our radar, but a lot of us still like to blow it on fun things, because why not? As we are turning into adults, however, it is going to be crucial to start saving money and spending wisely. If you aren’t paying your school bills right now or any bills for that matter and don’t know how it works, have your parents switch it to your name so you can physically see the money leaving your account and know how to fill out checks/ebills, and where to send them.

This seems pretty self explanatory, but you’d be surprised by how many students are kept in the dark about their finances. Your parents are there to help, but let them know you want to see how things work too.

4) Laundry

College is still a time where it’s a little weird if you don’t know how to do laundry, but still understandable. Once you get into the real adult world, however, you want to know how to do it. So let me lay it down simply for you.

You should have two loads, one with dark clothing, and one with light. If you’ve washed the clothing before, it can be mixed if you have small loads. You then pick a detergent that you like (most machines work best with liquid), you put it in the designated slot, and then I’d recommend washing your clothes on delicate.

To dry, take out any items you think might shrink or that are delicate and hang them, and let the rest go one or two rounds in the dryer. Viola, you just did your own laundry.

5) Fueling your body

We can’t live off ramen forever. Apparently adults really have to watch what they eat, so you are going to start having to worry about that too. There are tons of great sites that show you how to cook healthy things that aren’t too complicated (we are lazy after all).

Cooking can actually be fun once you get the hang of it, and your body will appreciate the break from random snacking in your pantry that consists of crackers and applesauce. It will also be good to have some recipes under your belt so when your parents come to visit the adult you, you’ll be able to wow them with your mad cooking skills.

There you have it, just a few things to know before you spread your wings and enter the adult world. Enjoy being in the in-between while you can!

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