Reflections...

So as I sit here in my quaint, cozy apartment that is above my office I might add watching television at 10 p.m. on a Wednesday night, I reflect.... I've come a long way in just a few short months since graduation and my journey into the real world and I still have a ways to go. 

• My parents wasted no time cutting their bank strings and I surprisingly couldn't be happier. I have proven 100 percent that my parents raised me right and did a great job at teaching me what I needed to know and how to be an independent young lady in the world. I'm confident that my parents aren't worried about my financial stability or whether I will remember to pay this or that on time or budget well. 
• My paychecks burn holes in my bank account, seriously. While I do know how to budget and actually budget quite well, those paychecks I receive twice a month still burn a hole in my bank account. Sometimes I find myself looking at my account thinking, "Hmmm, what can I buy?" I typically don't buy anything but I must admit, it's very nice to know if I want something I can go get it. I no longer have to want for anything and it's comforting. 
• Having a "real" job is no joke... I sometimes work 60+ hours a week. That is a big jump from the measly part time jobs I had during my stint as a career college kid. At first I was extremely overwhelmed and it really stressed me out. Now? I have learned how to manage the stress and to quite frankly work hard to get everything I need to do finished in my normal work period. I still feel new at times but overall, I have the hang of it. 
• Maintaining friendships once everyone has moved off is... difficult but doable. I have come to learn that most of the "friends" I had in college, including sorority sisters, were friends of convenience. We lived in the same town, were in the same crowd who frequented the same watering holes. Now, we are in multiple towns in multiple states with varying job titles and shifts. This takes "out of sight, out of mind" to a whole new level. I've realized that I, along with others, keep in contact with those who they truly want to stay in contact with. So and so may have been your bestie last spring semester but now that she's in South Carolina, you're out of sight and out of mind. It happens. No hard feelings, I've just learned to accept it and keep trucking along. 

Being an adult is an interesting, sometimes fun, challenge. I'm still transitioning from college student to full blown adult and in all honesty, it's been a decent transition so far. I foresee the next couple of months posing a few obstacles but I'm confident and ready to tackle them head on. The real world is scary but not near as scary as I expected. 

Bring it on life!