Hey, internet populace!
I'm not entirely sure this post will be applicable to anyone but adolescents, but I've decided to share some things I've learned.
Moving out was a pretty intense experience. I have never been a very family-oriented sort of person, mostly because I am ridiculously self-sufficient (I may cover why that is some other time, but this is not a "woe is me, my life has been hard" sort of post). However, the experience of both moving out, and then driving from Texas to Colorado was insane (I had maybe thirteen hours of driving experience, and nearly doubled it in a day. Also, it was my first time on the interstate). As much as I was a mature person beforehand, I was forced to be even more practical and *gulp* grown-up than ever. As the past couple weeks have progressed, I've learned a few new things, in addition to prior knowledge, and I'd like to share what I can to maybe make someone else's time of it a little easier. So, without further ado, here is some advice for you:
1) As much as you may not exactly mesh with your family, try to learn all you can from them. Even if they don't make the best decisions, the fact that you see that already means you've learned from them. Try to understand their successes and failures. This is valuable information, especially if you end up in a similar situation one day. Being able to avoid pitfalls or capitalize on fortuitous situations can make your life much, much easier. Even if what you learn doesn't end up helping you, you may be able to give someone advice when they're in a tough spot.
Which brings me to my next point.
2) Help other people out whenever you can. As much as you may hear to the contrary, the barter system is very much alive. If you can help someone out in a time of crisis, or even just a time of mild irritation, they're likely to want to help you out when you need it. I don't mean that you should spend all of your money helping an acquaintance get some snazzy new banisters for his staircase, but if you can make someone dinner, let them crash on your couch, put in a good word for them at work, or even just give them a jump, you should. It's not a huge amount of trouble, and lots of times you'll have a friend you can depend on if you need some help in the future.
Which reminds me
3) Friends. Friends are one of the best things to have when you're out on your own. I am staying at my best friends' house while I search for a job, I've had another friend drive out to give me a jump start in the middle of the night when my vehicle's battery died (twice >_<), and my boyfriend's dad is going to charge up my battery so that this will stop happening. I've saved tons of money by eating a meal at a friends house every once in a while, which is insanely important when you're living off of the Wal-Mart gift cards I got as a graduation present. And all of those benefits came for a grand total of four people. You who are more well-endowed with friendship sparkles will probably find things even easier to accomplish. Friends are a support system, and (unless they are of the fair-weather variety) they will always be there when you're in a bind. Friends are the family you choose, and they'll take care of you, just like you take care of them.
4) Apply for jobs now. Right now. RIGHT. NOW. I am so beyond serious. I know there's a million reasons you can probably think of to put it off, but having job experience is so valuable, you can't even imagine. I have never had a job before, and now I'm applying like mad in a desperate attempt to get hired by ANYONE. Especially during the summer, when all the high school kiddies are out snatching up jobs left and right, someone with a naked job history, has a really hard time getting any kind of employment. Furthermore, when you do get a job, work hard. Especially at the beginning, you should aim to make yourself indispensable. That way, if your Place of Employment should need to make a few cuts, you won't find yourself tossed out. As much as I wish the world ran on silly grins and delicious snacks, it runs on cold hard cash.
5) Take care of yourself. I know you've likely heard it a million times (I know I did), but make sure you stay healthy. Eat right, try to take a walk when you can. I never realized how important it was until I was (and still sort of am) living off of one cup 'o noodles a day. All of a sudden, my sleep schedule went crazy, I was tired all the time, my back would be sore even more often than usual, and I was annoyingly emotional (whereas I am usually one of the most rational and calm people you'll meet). I didn't really put two and two together until I went to Diamond's grandparents' house for Independence Day. Now, Diamond's grandparent are traditional black folks, so I was surrounded by a feast of delicious food. I took my plate, and filled it up with corn and green beans, and that was all I ate. I couldn't even stand to eat anything else. My body needed vitamins, and it told me. I finally woke up a bit, and could function a little better. You don't realize how important nutrition is until you aren't getting it. So while it may save some cash to buy cheap junk, try to look for bargains on fruits and vegetables, get some eggs and milk, and integrate those into your diet. Most stores will have deals on produce when it starts getting closer to it's expiration date, so you can get some good stuff for dirt cheap if you eat it soon. Also, one thing that have been immensely helpful, is examining the price stickers on food. Many stores have something like a "Unit Price" or "Price per Ounce" section on the shelves (albeit a very small section). Some different brands will try to confuse you by selling their version of a product for cheaper, when it has less of it in the container. The unit price will tell you how much you're spending per set unit of the product, so you can find out what the best value really is. Combine this with a little coupon savvy (there's tons of great apps for that) and you'll save a bundle at the grocery store.
Let me know if this helped any of you out at all. I really hope some of you can take the things I've learned and use it to your benefit.
Until next time,
Raven
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