As my first post back, I thought it would be appropriate to post something(ish) about my life and how it has changed since my last post. I've since moved to Chicago, settled into my job, and am well on my way to becoming a real grown up. I've discovered that in some ways, it's everything I dreamed about as a little kid when I couldn't eat ice cream for dinner or had a bed time. But, in other ways, I just want to go back to having someone else be responsible for my life.
The Best:
1) That feeling of independence. Look at me! I'm doing it!
2) There is that feeling of stability, yet, you never know what is coming next. In high school, college was next. In college, Italy was next. In Italy, the real world was next. There was always something that I was waiting for to happen. Now, I'm finally at a place where I can just live my life. But, there's always that element of surprise. Maybe I'll get a new job, maybe I'll meet someone awesome, maybe I'll change apartments. New and exciting things are right around the corner, however you always know that where you're grounded is a solid place to be.
3) You get to meet OTHER grown ups. You have less "going out friends" and really start to realize who your real friends are. The people that you'd go to lunch with, the people you want to spend actual time with.
4) I have an expendable income (however small that may be). But, if I want to go out to dinner, I go out to dinner. If I want to go shopping for no reason at all, bam. done.
5) No more homework. No more tests. No more studying. When I get home from work, it's all free time.
6) I do what I want, when I want to. Ice cream for dinner? No problem!
The Worst:
1) Bills. enough said.
2) No breaks. Summer break, winter break, Spring break, Thanksgiving break, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. NOPE. work force doesn't care.
3) My mom isn't here incase I get sick. :(
4) It's frowned upon when you drink wine from a box. (That doesn't stop me, but sometimes I people laugh in a disappointing kind of way, not in an ironic sort of way)
5) Gift giving. They don't tell you that gifts are required for SO. MANY. OCCASSIONS. When anything significant happens in anyone else's life, you give them a gift. And now that I'm a grown up, I can't mooch off my parents anymore. Can't just sign my name on the card and be done with it.
6) I realized I'm not even REMOLTEY ready for the next stage of being a grown up. Marriage and kids and being responsible for other humans. Which is fine for now, but seeing how long it took me to finally be a stage-1 grown up.... it's a little frightening.
But all in all, I suppose I'm glad to be here. The grass is always greener on the other side, so might as well enjoy what I've got!
