A Friendly Reminder That You’re Doing Just Fine
By: Megan Graves, Columnist
I’ve spent the majority of my young adult life worrying about how I’m doing. Am I saving enough money? Did I study enough? How many meals do people eat in a day, again? When was the last time I went out? Has it really been three weeks since I cleaned my bathroom?
I have a hunch that I’m not alone in this. We’re all juggling a bunch of different things right now. From classes, to work, to eating healthy, to maintaining relationships, to keeping your living space clean, to managing finances, to going out and doing the “young college kid” thing, to calling Mom enough, to…man, just typing all of that was exhausting.
Being a responsible, functioning and mature adult can be so tiring. It gets particularly hard when you see other people seemingly doing “better.” They just got a good job. They’re so fit. They wake up at 8 a.m. and live productive lives, yet here you are, sleeping in until noon and eating last night’s pizza. And OK, by “you,” I meant me.
I know how easy it is to compare yourself to someone else and to think you aren’t doing enough. I know what that feels like, because oh man do I feel it. Sometimes all I really need is someone to tell me that I am doing okay. So listen: you are doing just fine.
You will not have being adult down pat overnight. Do you know how long it took me to make a good grilled cheese? Literally years. Maybe I’m prone to burning bread, but I think I just needed practice.
There is nobody out there who has it completely right, or even mostly right, just yet. You aren’t the only person who chose sleeping in over going to the gym or ordering Chipotle over buying groceries.
Sometimes you’ll be really good at it. There are days where I get up early. I go to the gym. I eat three full, healthy meals, and I get to class on time. I do well at work, my boyfriend and I don’t fight, and I go to bed at a reasonable hour without laying awake thinking about that awkward thing I did three years ago.
Some days, you’re going to nail it.
Some days you won’t, and most days you’ll be somewhere in between.
Not every day will be full of responsible, healthy decisions. The point is, they don’t have to be. It’s okay to get it wrong sometimes, and you are no less OK because of that. I know it’s really cliché, but all that matters is that you do your best. Sometimes you’re burnt out, and the best you can do is lay in bed and watch TV.
If you feel yourself having a hard time dealing with growing up and transitioning into adulthood, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Friends and parents are usually pretty good with these things — one of them is going through it with you, and the other already did it.
Professional help is also a valid and incredibly helpful option. Please don’t ever feel like asking for help is weak or embarrassing. It’s actually very mature, strong and beneficial. We have a great Counseling Center on campus, and Google can offer you other options in your area.
Stop stressing yourself out about how and what you should be doing. Let yourself get it wrong, and then instead of feeling guilty, just pick yourself back up and start over. Keep trying until you get it right and don’t worry about how long that takes. You are doing just fine.