When do you feel like you matured?

[victorydance]

I think grad school will be my big change that helps me mature. My friend and I might live together and she works I will be in school we will party on weekends and meet guys I just feel behind like I didn't have these experiences earlier because I like live at home. I don't want to end up 25 still at home with no life experience lol

 

No offence, but this seems like a horrible plan. I wouldn't advise going to grad school to up your social life/life experience. Don't know what program you are going into, but you aren't going to have much free time at all. If you think you can party on the weekends and do well in grad school you are in for a surprise. 

 

My advice: don't go to grad school right away. Take a year or two off, go live somewhere else, live your life, and grow emotionally. 

[LittleDarlings]

No offence, but this seems like a horrible plan. I wouldn't advise going to grad school to up your social life/life experience. Don't know what program you are going into, but you aren't going to have much free time at all. If you think you can party on the weekends and do well in grad school you are in for a surprise. 

 

My advice: don't go to grad school right away. Take a year or two off, go live somewhere else, live your life, and grow emotionally.

I already got in and paid my deposit. Lol. I mean I don't expect it to be all fun all the time but I definitely think there's time for fun. I know a girl who went back for counseling and she parties but studies and she is graduating in May. I'm sure I can figure it out. Likely I won't be able to party every weekend because I think I have a Saturday class... There goes my Friday nights.

[ahlatsiawa]

I felt more like an adult when I lived overseas. I had no support system and I was just concerned with getting work/or more work, paying rent, buying food and everything that was left over I could do with what I wanted. For the first time I didn't have anyone telling me where I could go or when, what to do with my money, I had no school responsibilities and it became the most freeing kind of experience. Coming back home I feel less like a matured individual. I can't find a job, I hated my cohort in my master's program, I am perpetually without money, I can't pay my own bills and I have people asking me all the time where I'm going/what I'm doing/when I'm going to be back/reminding to me to x, y and z 50 times. I don't meet anyone my age because most of the friends I had have moved away, and I'm too broke to go out to bars/clubs/other activities. I still haven't felt the urge to want to get married or have kids, even though I'm at that age where it's happening a lot. 

 

But then I look at the 18 year olds and wonder how they can all be so stupid. I couldn't possibly have been that stupid. 

 

THIS. I can relate to almost everything you describe in your post. Coming back home after having lived alone for undergrad can really drive you up the wall sometimes. I am the sort of person who doesn't need constant company all the time. In fact, I despise it. That is why for me living with parents is proving to be very restrictive. For the most part I can't wait till school starts so I can be on my own again.

[stella_ella]

THIS. I can relate to almost everything you describe in your post. Coming back home after having lived alone for undergrad can really drive you up the wall sometimes. I am the sort of person who doesn't need constant company all the time. In fact, I despise it. That is why for me living with parents is proving to be very restrictive. For the most part I can't wait till school starts so I can be on my own again.

Likewise, I've been in the same situation. Moved to a different state for undergrad, graduated and moved back home with my parents, couldn't stand their dysfunctional ways, moved out again for grad school. The first year of undergrad was the toughest since I had to learn how to use the laundry for the first time. I remember being so embarrassed to ask people how to operate the laundry that I neglected to wash my clothes for four months. Out of socks? Let's just buy a whole new pack from wal-mart. I'm not particularly proud of this. I've been working since I was in middle school though, so I've been paying my bills since.

 

I think I felt most like an adult when I decided to live off-campus. Had to go househunting, roommate searching, and inquired about foreign matters such as utilites and appliances, internet set-up, cost-splitting. When I finally signed the lease, I felt like such an adult. My schedule is now only dictated by class and work, and I can eat popcorn for dinner and drink wine like water with no reprimands