Some people can’t wait to get their driver’s license, first apartment, and head out into the world as an adult. However, not every adult is so excited about growing older.
Some folks develop Peter Pan Syndrome, which according to Psychology Today, is an individual that is afraid to grow up.
Sadly, there is no escaping the hands of time, and once they start rolling, there’s no stopping them. Not only will your body change, but your brain does too. People expect way more from an adult than they do from a child, which is why you can’t sit and play video games all day.
As you mature, you must be able to do things for yourself and contribute to society. While a 10-year-old can’t balance a checkbook, it’s pretty ridiculous when a 25-year-old can’t either.
25 Things Every Adult Should Know
When you first turn 18, you won’t solve all the world’s problems or all your issues either. However, after you spend some time in the real world, you pick up a few tricks. Here are 25 things that you should be able to do by the time you reach your 25th birthday.
1. Parallel Park
Some areas require you to parallel park to get your driver’s license. However, some states have scrapped this requirement. Still, you should know how to maneuver a car in and out of tight spaces to park on the side of the road or in other situations.
2. Change Your Tire
You must know how to change a tire if you’re going to operate a motor vehicle. You never know when and where you will have a flat or a blowout. Having your vehicle stranded on the side of the road is dangerous, and it can be costly to call roadside assistance for such a trivial issue.
3. Put Together a Good Wardrobe
If you want to have any job, then you need to know how to dress for success. You should at least know how to match your pants with your shirt and coordinate your socks too. People who lack fashion sense stand out like a sore thumb.
4. Unplug from Technology
Depending on your age, you might have already used an old-fashioned map. It would be best to learn how to navigate without conveniences such as GPS, cell phones, and using apps.
5. Ride a Bike
While it’s not a make-or-break kind of thing, you should know how to ride a bike. Children need to learn how to balance themselves, and bike riding helps with that skill. Plus, bike riding is one of the best exercises around, according to Dynasty Tech, as it works for all your muscle groups.
6. Drive a Stick Shift Car
There’s something euphoric about getting behind a stick shift and hitting the open road. Driving a stick is something that is becoming obsolete as more cars are made with an automatic transmission. Still, sport’s cars and some big trucks require a stick to shift the transmissions.
7. Build A Fire
You never know when you might be stranded in the woods and need a fire to keep warm, or you might want to have a fire pit in your backyard. While cheating with chemical igniters seems easy, there’s something extraordinary about being able to build a fire from scratch. Channel your inner Boy Scout and learn how to start an inferno with rocks and sticks.
8. Have Meaningful Conversations
Every adult must learn how to converse. It would help if you had the art of conversation for your job, spouse, and family.
9. Swim
Teaching a child to swim is an invaluable tool that they will use in life. If you go boating, fishing, or even have a pool, you need to know how to stay afloat. According to Kid’s Health, you can drown in less than two inches of water.
10. Handle Your Yearly Taxes
Can you file your taxes? Even if you use an online program that walks you through the steps, it’s a simple task for many that shouldn’t require a CPA to complete.
11. Drive A Car, Period!
Having this item on the list may shock some folks, as everyone wants to drive, right? However, you may not realize that there are people in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other big cities that don’t have a driver’s license.
Many people in larger cities rely on public transportation to get around. Still, should circumstances change, you may need a car and license to commute.
12. Tie a Tie
Tying a tie is one of those challenging tasks that seem simple once you get the hang of it. If you work in corporate America, you can’t wear cheesy clip-on varieties to work.
13. Make Great Coffee
Even if you don’t like coffee, you should still know how to brew a good cup. You never know when your mother or father-in-law will show up and demand a cup of Joe.
14. Flirt with Tact
If you want to get married or have meaningful relationships in this life, you need to learn how to flirt. Some people have mastered flirting, while others need to work on their game.
15. Cook Simple Things
Living on takeout food isn’t healthy, and it can break your budget. You should know how to make a grilled cheese, spaghetti, open a can of soup, heat it, and do other essential things. Not only does cooking from home save you a ton of money, but you won’t get all the sodium, preservatives, and other harmful things they put into these quick-fix meals.
16. Do Laundry
It seems like laundry would be a simple task, but if you throw everything together, you will have a big mess on your hands. Learning how to sort clothes, treat stains, and apply the proper detergent-fabric softener ratio to each load is essential.
17. Jump Start A Car
Even new cars have significant issues. Batteries going bad can give you problems when the weather changes. You should know how to jump your vehicle so that you can save the tow bill. Plus, you can help a neighbor or relative out too.
18. To Accept and Show Love
Every adult needs to know how to accept the love they’re shown and how to reciprocate to others. Love is a fundamental emotion that everyone needs to thrive. Without love, life would be a very boring place.
19. Apply and Get Jobs
If you want to make some money, you need to have a good resume and cover letter and be able to nail an interview. The most challenging job you will ever have in your life is pounding the pavement trying to find work.
20. How To Fold Sheets and Towels
Okay, so some people still don’t know how to fold sheets or towels regardless of their age. It’s essential to be able to fold your linens to put some order into your closets. Not every adult will learn how to fold a sheet as it’s a rather tedious task, but you should at least attempt it.
21. How To Navigate Public Transportation
If you ask people in Ohio about public transportation, they might have little clue about using it as the only method available is busses. However, if you ask someone in New York about it, then they have all the answers. Whether you live in the mid-west, deep south, or the north, you need to know how to hail a taxi, ride a subway, and get around using public transport.
22. Operate a Grill
If you think grilling out means getting the George Foreman out of storage, then you’re one of the people who this post is about. You need to know how to cook food on a charcoal grill and get the fire going. It’s just another aspect of learning to be an adult and cooking in nature.
23. Iron Clothes
While some folks prefer to use a dryer to do all their wrinkle removal, ironing does a better job. Plus, ironing is much more energy-efficient to operate than a large dryer anyway.
24. Balance a Checkbook
Unless you want to stuff your money in the mattress and risk it being stolen, you need a bank account. Banking 101 teaches you that you cannot go by the balance reported on the ATM receipt. You must know how much is in your account, and the only way you can accomplish this is by keeping a check register. For banking options visit WECU (for Personal Banking in Blaine, WA).
25. Tackle Small Household Repairs
If you own a home, there will always be minor repairs. These repairs are usually things like changing an outlet, swapping light fixtures, or fixing a leaking faucet. Learning to do these small tasks will save you a great deal of money from calling repair professionals.
Final Thoughts on Things Every Adult Should Know
Of the 25 things listed above, how many have you mastered? Did you notate the things you’ve yet to learn as challenges and things to help you grow? Sadly, not every adult will know how to do these things, but it would be beneficial if they did.
