This past week the new book by author Kelly Williams Brown, of the adultingblog, was released to a good amount of hype. Brown was up until recently a writer for the Oregon Statesman Journal, but probably quit when she got the advance for her book because that's the adult thing to do. No, I actually know nothing about her life and she seems like a lovely person. Brown's book, Adulting: How to Become A Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps, is ,more or less, a guide to how to be an adult.
Despite the fact that Brown is in her 20s, she has done quite a number of adult-like things such as writing for a newspaper and then writing a book, so perhaps she deserves the accolades and the right to give out advice.
As someone who is not in her 20s and considers herself an adult, despite eating gum for breakfast today and not having written a book on how to be a grown-up, I thought that I should give Adulting a read to relate back to you. Since all of you reading are most likely grown-ups yourselves.
The book is actually quite handy. It covers lots of bases from cleaning to cooking to work to being happy with your life, all things that young people should be made aware of. While there are almost too many of these pieces of small wisdom, the book is a quick read and something you can go back to when in need of consultation.
Of the 468 steps, here are ten that stuck out to me, for better or worse.
Step 26: Get a nice, actual bed This seems so logical, but in reality purchasing a bed in your twenties is a huge ordeal. First, beds are expensive and they seem like a novelty because sleep in general is often an afterthought (Oh, shoot, I forgot to sleep last night). I personally spent my 20s on a futon mattress on the floor. I started dating my husband because of the very fact that he had a genuine bed and something that I later found out was called a "duvet." Buying a bed is good advice.
Step 147: Don't talk about how great this job will be for you, talk about how great you are for the job I once interviewed a kid (he was about 20), and his first question to me was whether there were half-days in the summer, to which I replied that there were on Fridays, to which he said, "Awesome. My friends like to start the party early." He was not hired.
Step 53: (related to moving) If an item holds something in your apartment, it should hold something during the move I mostly agree with this except for things like bookshelves and cabinets, which should be completely empty when you are moving. Have you ever tried to move a bookshelf with books in it? Bad idea. And here is something else you really shouldn't put stuff in when you are moving, as I can attest from experience: a fish bowl that has a fish in it.
Step 115: Send a thank-you note This is excellent advice. Saying thank you is becoming a lost art and it should never be treated as an option. Always say thank you. And if I can add to this step: Teach your kids to send thank-you notes because I will totally stop buying them gifts if they don't say thank you soon.
Step 37: Get a toilet plunger If you're reading this thinking, "That's a good idea," I ask you two questions: How old are you? And what do you do when your toilet gets clogged? I have an old family remedy that involves hangers, but it's way too nasty to relay here.
