Quiz:
will you survive real life?
Seventeen
Magazine
by Lauren Ambrose
July 2002 issue
Can you cut
it without Mom & Dad? Measure your aptitude for independent living by
scoring one point for each item that applies to you. |
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#1.
You know what you want to be when you grow up, and you've even done an
internship to get a head start.
#2. There's no way you would set foot outside without your trusty day
planner.
#3. People ask how you get your white shirts so crisp (it's all in the
iron).
#4. You end up cooking for yourself three or four nights a week, and most
of those meals don't even involve Easy Mac.
#5. Ever since you got your first box of checks, you've been obsessed with
balancing your account biweekly.
#6. Need a hotel in Nebraska? An ID on a sketchy rash? No
problem -- you know where to find the Web site for all of that.
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your
score says
READY
FOR THE ROAD AHEAD
(15 to 23 points)
We're
impressed - you already have a lot of the skills you need to live on your
own. You're responsible when it comes to budgeting your money, and you
have the know-how and drive to earn lots more of it! If there's a specific
area you still feel insecure about, whether it's cooking microwave-free meals or
separating dark and light loads, it doesn't hurt to learn now - there's no such
thing as being overly prepared. There is, however, such a thing as being
overly worried, warns Jesse Vickey, coauthor of life after school.
explained. You're not expected to get everything right when you first
start out, so don't panic. If you do, you might end up making hasty
decisions. For example, if you're paranoid that you might take the first
place you hear of without even checking it out. "Always see the
place. Try to get a moment alone with the current tenant and ask what she
or he really thinks of it," suggests Vickey. Maybe you're stressing
about your first job and you end up trying to hard. "Human-resources
reps say that sometimes new hires work hard to be too funny and contribute too
much, when they should just take cues from their supervisors." Trust
us: We can see you're well on your way to adulthood, so relax about the
upcoming unknown. Don't go overboard planning and panicking. Take a
break from organizing your date book and have a little fun while you can!
EASING
INTO INDEPENDENCE
(7 to 14 points)
You're
definitely on the right track. Still, there is something you can do now to
prepare for the outside world - in a word: research. If you'll be moving
into your own place, Vickey recommends that you look into the area and the
apartment-rental market before you there. "Make an effort to tell
everyone you know that you're searching," he advises. "A lot of
places never make it onto the market and just go by word of mouth."
Similarly, if you're trying to score a job or an internship, don't just look
online or in the newspapers; ask around, too. As Vickey points out, most
people's first jobs aren't their dream jobs, so don't worry if you're not sure
what you want to from the get-go. The important thing is to ask questions,
and that goes for all areas of life away from home. It's find if you don't
have all the answers yourself, but if you're too embarrassed to ask, you can
make worse mistakes than if you'd spoken up. So ask the woman at the
bursar's office what the fine print on your student loan means. Ask the
guy at the laundromat which compartment the fabric softener goes in. Ask
your new boss what the office dress code is. (Hint: It's better to
be overdressed than underdressed if you're not sure.) Before you sign your
life away for new credit cards, health plans or anything else, make an effort to
learn about what it is you're getting into - and know your options, says
Vickey. yeah we know you've heard it before, but seriously: There
really is no such thing as a dumb question.
HAVING
FUN
(1 to 6 points)
Your
motto is, Live in the moment. There's so much to deal with at school and
so much fun to be had when you're not studying, why waste what's left of your
brain space thinking about the future? We can't blame you - you should
have fun while you can. Just Keep in mind that moving away from Mom and
Dad and out into the real world will be easier on you if you start taking steps
to get ready now. Begin by teaching yourself the little things you're
unsure about. If you've never had to deal with chores like cooking and
cleaning, offer to help out around the house. Ask you mother - when she's
recovered from the shock - to teach you how to make your favorite dishes, or
even spend a week cooking for the family as a sort of culinary boot camp.
If you don't have your own checking account, set one up now so you'll be used to
the process by the time you leave home. According to Vickey, bed credit is
a big problem for the newly independent. He suggests getting just one
credit card to start with and always paying more the your minimum balance.
"Don't apply for cards from too many stores," says Vickey.
"It's easier to go into debt when you have a bunch of different
accounts." You don't have to become a finance pro or read the stock
quotes in The Wall Street Journal every day. But being sensible
about your budget will keep you self-sufficient. You'll be much happier
not having to rely on your parents for everything you want!
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