Adulting is a funny word isn’t it. The product of our social media, millenial world. I guess it’s pretty apt to describe the behaviour of 20′ something year olds who in the past would have been laboured with children at this age but now find ourselves beautifully free. So in a way I guess we’re growing up a little slower really, finding ourselves with a lot less pressure to couple up and start pumping out babies, and this term is used to summarise those few ounces of real responsibility in our lives that actually requires some adult thought and for us to take responsibility for ourselves.
I’ve been thinking about it these last few days because I have been sorting out documents to prove my insurance claims. Now if that’s not adulting, what is?
It’s been so boring actually, the kind of boring that makes me want to chuck my neatly ordered and newly-printed documents all over the floor and stamp on them. Quite ironic isn’t it: my adult responsibilities making me want to behave like a toddler.
But it’s all done. A million receipts printed and photocopied, all organised in the order I mention them. Well done me. At the moment I finally finished, I expectantly looked around my mums kitchen like there was someone there to congratulate me for all my hard work, give me a sticker and make me feel special. But then I realised that actually this is what being an adult is like. Having to do all of these things that you don’t actually want to do, and no one is going to thank you for it. Now all my forms are sat in a pile, waiting to be sent, which I will have to do at some point.
I hit a bit of a money cul-de-sac recently. Well, before Christmas. First time in my life I have run out of money, ever! And when I say run out, I mean, hit the bottom of my overdraft which my bank won’t let me extend. Bit of a sad story. I spent days eagerly researching if there was any possibility I could earn a bit of money on the side by writing but soon came to the conclusion that you have to put a hell of a lot of hard work in before you make anything real, and I just don’t have the time or inclination to do that right now. So next on my how-to-make-money-quick list was insurance and bursary claiming. I was going to wait until the end of my year in Ecuador and just claim it all together to get a lump sum at the end, but I’m 5 months into my year and I need the money now so…
I have had jobs since I was 15 almost continually, and I’ve always been able to earn enough to live the kind of life I want to. I work hard and a lot, but I also don’t miss out on things and that’s how I like it! But now I’m living in Ecuador there is absolutely no way for me to make any money until August, so I’m relying on student finance and anything else I can drudge up until then to get me through. In a way this is a blessing in disguise. I’ve always maintained that I spend as much as I have, and nothing more, but for the last 4 months in Ecuador that is not true, obviously. So it’s time for me to practice a bit of spending restraint and scrupulously budget, fun.
Talking of money, there’s actually a few things I need to buy now to take back with me to Ecuador, thank god for my tax rebate! Next stop, Lush and Amazon.
Sophie Victoria Manley 