Congrats, class of 2015! You did the thing! You got the piece of paper! All your late nights, hysterical breakdowns, and manic study sessions over the last four(ish) years have finally paid off! We’re so, so, so proud of you!

When I graduated a little over a year ago, I thought I was so ready to be an adult and do adult things, like have a job, have a husband, and have responsibilities. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, y’all: Adulthood is a trap.

Don’t get me wrong— adulthood is awesome. I love my job. I love my husband. I love my friends. No one can tell me that I can’t have whiskey and ice cream for dinner. I’m happy with my life right now. But I was so, so unprepared for a lot of the ish that went down in the last year. 

In part one of this series, we talked about the weird things that may happen with your college friendships after graduation. Now, in part two, we’re going to talk about how to take care of yourself like the badass young adult lady you are, aka adulting. Read on to learn more:   

Table of Contents

Required Reading

Okay, so I can’t take the credit for most of this advice, because it comes straight from Kelly Williams Brown’s Adulting: How to Become a Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps. I cannot recommend this book enough; it has become my baby-adult bible. Whether you want to know how to cook a chicken breast, how to check your car’s oil, or what the heck an 401(k) is, Kelly Williams Brown is your adulting guru. 

Seriously. Go get this book. Read it twice. Place it proudly on your bookshelf to announce to the world what a capable adult you are. Refer to it regularly, particularly when navigating the twisty and perilous worlds of healthcare, finances, and taxes. And remember: