What No One Tells You

I've learned a few things in my first few months of being on my own. I pass onto you what I have found to be weird little life lessons that no one ever warns you about. It may seems like common sense for some of these things but others I had a "What the John?" moment when they dawned on me. And I know lists like this have been done but I like to think mine is a little different. Things that pertain to real people. Not the weirdo hipsters.

1. You have to feed yourself, every meal, every day.
This is a mysteriously weird struggle for me. I love to cook, cooked for myself all throughout my senior year of college, but yet I cannot seem to feed myself like a grown up. I often ask the boyfriend what I should have for dinner and emote on how I eat like a 12 year old boy. Lately lunch has been PB&J with a cup of apple sauce and animal crackers, I kid you not. Tonight I debated between crackin open a can of Spaghettios or getting a corn dog (thanks to this video, corn dog won: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5yCOSHeYn4&noredirect=1 ). I have popcorn for a meal at least once a week. I won't let myself buy pizza rolls because I know that is all I'll eat until they're gone. The struggle is real people, the struggle is real.

2. Routing numbers don't change if you move out of state.
Learned this lesson the extremely hard/frustrating way. So I know routing numbers are based on your state and when I moved and changed my address with the bank I assumed the routing number would change as well. When I was setting up some online bill payments I opted for the electronic check (no fees!) and had to enter my bank account's routing number. Since I don't have checks I always look it up online and this is where I really screwed myself. I bank with Chase and their online listing of routing numbers opens in a pop up window that isn't as large as the page itself, meaning you need to scroll left/right or up/down to see all the information. However, you can see the state name and routing number just fine without scrolling left/right. What you can't see is the disclaimer telling you the routing number pertains to the state in which the account was created, not the address you have on file. Long story short I was late on two of my bills before I figured this out. Everyone moving between states please learn from my mistake.

3. I'm in the freshman year of life.
Do you remember the freshman year of highschool or college? That's what your first year of "adulting" is like. But I have a feeling that this feeling lasts for longer than a year. I was discussing this blog topic with my old roommate, Sarah, and she summed it up as "everyone treats you like a child". While we both realize we're still learning a lot and have a long way to grow in our jobs it is extremely frustrating when you've been to college, trained in specific things, and people don't take you seriously. We're smart girls, she's an engineer and I'm a meteorologist, it's not like we went to school and found husbands. I can't wait for the freshman year to be over, just like high school and college haha.

4. Automatic bill pay is awesome and super frustrating at the same time.
Auto bill pay is a gift from the gods. I can have the money automatically taken out each month and don't need to worry about being late on a payment! Slow your roll, check that fine print before you get too lazy. A lot of systems need a weird amount of time before the payments become automatic, make sure you keep up with payments as the automatic-ness is getting set up. Most places will allow you to choose a day that is anytime after your bill is issued and the date it is due which is awesome. I have most of my bills withdrawn the day after I get paid so I barely even know the money is there before it is all gone. One place that doesn't let you chose the day is Comcast. It told me my payment will be withdrawn "around the 2nd of each month". This month it was taken last Friday, the 22nd. Basically I never know when Comcast is going to collect, I've called and they are zero help. If you know the secrets of Comcast, please help. Yes, I know I could just pay it myself but I really want to figure this out.

5. Tax forms are really confusing in a different state than you're used to.
I don't know if this is just another weird thing in California or if it was filling out forms I wasn't used to but I struggled hard core willing out the W4. I won't get into specifics, because it was so confusing I think I blocked the memory, but just be warned it may be weird. All I know is that I am probably paying someone to help me this year. Before you write me off as being a wimp in not doing my own taxes please know my company had a relocation service and there was money taxed but I don't want to have it taxed again and there is something about the miles moved? I don't know, I need professional help.

6. You may start working out just because you're bored. 
For my college friends who know I considered my physical fitness routine walking briskly around campus, this may come as a bit of a shock. I actually am in the habit of going to the gym a couple days a week now. Simply because I don't have much to do and I feel bad about sitting for eight straight hours. I also work out now because I don't want to be that person who peaked in college, went out into the real world and got fat. Shallow yes, but if it keeps me healthy then what does it matter the motivations!

7. You will probably realize that you don't have any real hobbies. 
If I'm alone in this, then don't tell me. But I believe my generation has had so much online stimulation with various forms of social media, and being addicted to checking it all and reading it all, that we don't have true hobbies. If someone asked me one hobby I had right this moment I would bawk for a moment and then probably say eating or cooking (ignore #1, I really do enjoy cooking. It's just a struggle to feed myself).  I guess blogging could be considered a hobby but I want to find one that is not electronic and is active or stretches my brain in some way. To me, that's a real hobby.

8. You'll find out who really cares about you, and who you really care about. Especially if you move far away.
Friendships take a lot of work when you don't see the people every moment of every day like you do in college. You'll make time for the ones that matter most and feel bad about not making as much of an effort with others. Now, if I haven't talked to you in awhile please don't be offended. I just generally suck at keeping in touch. I consider friendships maintained if I talk to you once every few months and it was a conversation through snapchat about some french fries. Also, with the time change between California and the Midwest I never know when it's okay to call people. When do people go to bed vs not wanting to be bothered? I usually have a 2hr block after work before it's too late to communicate with most normal working people, and even that is pushing it. Please know that I try and it's a struggle.

9. Healthy Choice frozen meals are a gift to lazy twenty-somethings.
I know this goes along with my first point but honestly, frozen meals are your savior. Especially if you're living alone. Cooking something also means you have leftovers for at least a couple of meals afterwards so you better really like whatever it is you're making while at the same time being prepared to not want to eat it again for another month. Frozen meals, my personal favorite being Healthy Choice, are the warm, not horrible for you, satisfying answer to the lazy "I don't want to eat the same thing for the next week but I'm hungry" sentiment. If you haven't had Healthy Choice crust-less chicken pot pie then you haven't lived.

10. Time moves slower in the real world. 
Before, there was always a set academic calendar with nice little chunks of time that seemed to pass quite quickly. Now time is measured in actual days and weeks and months which, for me, makes it seem to move slower. I don't have a million projects due in two weeks, a different sorority function every weekend, or endless meetings and events to plan. I knew I was busy during college but didn't realize just how it helped the time pass until none of it was happening. Also, the future is like really really long. Before graduating everything was done to be able to graduate and get a job, move away from home, the whole she-bang. Now that I've done all that I need a new life project.

I could probably go on forever, like usual, but I'll stop before I bore you all. Feel free to call me out on just being dumb or if you disagree with anything I've said above. I'm always curious if others are feeling the weird early 20s struggle like me.

My First Solo Trip into SF

Hi all!

This past weekend I got a new hair-do and took my first solo trip in San Francisco! So many activities!
Let's start with the hair :) I've been debating changing my hair up for some time now but since I am lazy I don't want to color it then deal with roots and I've had the pixie cut so dramatic chopping was out of the question. Growing out that pixie and killer acne defined my awkward years. I decided to go back to an old favorite and go back to the curls! Ladies and gents, I have curly hair again! I found a place on Yelp that does "air perms" where you go home overnight with the curlers in and it's supposed to be a more natural process that is better for your hair.

This was me on Friday night

I'm generally not a fan of "selfies" but the turban was too funny not to document. The salon I went to also specialized in cutting curly hair so I was very confident it would turn out well when I went in. I am very happy to report that I love my new hair and it is insanely healthy, despite the perm, thanks to the air perm process and subsequent deep conditioning that's included. Unfortunately I do not have a picture of my completed curls to share, I'll probably snap one when I'm at Heidi's baby shower over Thanksgiving weekend!

Since I went in Saturday morning to have the curlers taken out and my hair cut I decided that I shouldn't waste a good hair day on boring stuff like laundry (that's what I did Sunday) and instead I would venture into the city.

I've been into the city with people who have come to visit me but never yet by myself. Please don't think this is sad or that I was lonely, I LOVE exploring new places on my own. No one to slow me down or to compromise with on where to go. If you're worried about me being safe, don't worry. When I explore alone I go during the day and stick to highly trafficked areas.

I had wanted to get a few Christmas gifts downtown as well as to walk around the Saturday morning Ferry Building farmer's market. I also walked along the waterfront all the way to Pier 39 to get some SF themed gifts at one of the tourist trap shops. Unfortunately I couldn't find what I wanted to but I did find out that pier 39 is like seal Mecca! THEY'RE SO LOUD! I don't know how I missed this before but it was super cool to just see all these fat dudes chilling.

After pier 39 I made the trek back to the Embarcadero BART station and called it a day. Then Sunday was a mostly boring day of laundry and scavenging in my own apartment for food because I was too lazy to go grocery shopping. It's thrilling to be a young 20-something haha

So far this week has been pretty uneventful. Only one major thing, THE WEATHER BROKE! It's rained yesterday AND today. It's so weird. Thankfully this weekend is forecasted to be back to sunny with highs in the mid 60s. I know, I'm spoiled. I also have been looking at the weather in Chicago on Thanksgiving weekend.....brrrr

Just 8 more days until Thanksgiving and being back in West Chicago for the first time since July!!! I CAN'T WAIT!

Also, please check this company out! Goldie Blox is aiming to make cool engineering toys geared towards young girls. Maybe think about getting the young girl in your life something other than a doll this Christmas? GO SCIENCE!

Another “I’m getting old” Moment

So first off, a preliminary “old” moment. I had meant to blog about this topic last week (or was it the week before?) but I completely forgot. I’ve got a mild case of sometimers. I have lots of “I should blog about this” moments that I forget and really need to start keeping a log of them.

Here is why I am now realizing I’m kinda a grown up. I got an email saying my first ever quarterly statement for my 401k is now available for my viewing pleasure. I’ve officially put money away for retirement and it has earned interest that is viewable on a statement...a statement of adulthood.

Then I remember I am still kinda a kid too because I don’t know if you’re supposed to capitalize the “K” in 401k (or is it 401K?). I could easily look this up or just observe it somewhere and make a mental note to remember but the sometimers gets in the way. I need to start doing memory exercises or something because I have a horrible memory.

Real time reporting: Looked up the correct nomenclature and it should be typed 401(k). If you cared to know.

Another “kid” moment regarding 401(k)s is how I say 401(k) in my head. I know I heard it this way on a tv show at some point but I can’t for the life of me remember where, was it Friends? Arthur? Sometimers strikes again! Anyways, whenever I read 401(k) my inner voice says “four oh wunk”.

But then I get all “adult” again and read articles like this: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/-how-i-saved--1-million-163720104.html and get all excited about compounding interest and decide to actually look at what I’m investing in and take an active approach to my retirement account. I’m going to be a millionaire people, better start sucking up now.

To end, since everyone likes pictures and in honor of the first real snow of the season back in Chicago, here is a snapshot of sunset in California taken from my porch. 

I'm sad I'm missing the snow....but I also like being warm