No more teachers, no more books…you know how the rest goes.

For the first time in 18 years, I will not be going to school in the fall. I finished my university courses last December and officially graduated in June. Hooray!

So with fancy piece of paper in hand I am off to start the next stage of my life and finally take a break from all this school stuff. No more awkwardly timed lectures, no more buying textbooks or school supplies, no more late night studying, and certainly no more exam stress. What a great thought!

But now I have to get used to having a real life again. A life (somewhat) comparable to the summers in grade school. At camp or an activity during the day, then having fun in the evenings. Now it is just a little less entertaining though time wise the same: work in the day and activities during the night.

But what do you do with the evening time (or off work time)? You don’t have to study, or do assignments, or plan out your next research paper. Instead you get to start learning how to live. You see learning never really stops, it just transforms.

Here are 5 lessons for adults. These are five things I felt I had to learn (for the first time or to relearn) after school was out. And it is not as easy as reading a couple textbooks and doing some exercises, you learn these things in an on-going process. So here is your new lesson plan:

Five Lessons for Adults

1. HOW TO SCHEDULE TIME. Now that you are no longer force fed random schedules consisting of lectures, working groups, study sessions and the like, you need to get used to organizing your own time again. Maybe you are working a 9-5 now, or just have a regular repeating schedule each week, regardless, you now have a core part of your day whisked away right off the bat. You need to schedule the chores, meals, entertainment, and fitness activities into the remaining part of your day. Just be sure to make sure you don’t over do it and exhaust yourself!

Everyone has a different method of scheduling too so because to experiment and find what works for you. Maybe a daily planner, maybe alerts on your phone or email, or perhaps you like the good old to-do list. There are plenty of resources to get you started!

2. HOW TO HANDLE MONEY. No more tuition payments means one less financial pit to worry about. Without that huge amount coming out of you account it is perfect time to think about saving and budgeting. Do you have debt to pay off? Do you want to buy a house? What about a car? How about kids? Everyone’s financial situation is different so I suggest doing some research and deciding the best way to get to the financial status you want to have.

3. HOW TO KEEP HOUSE. Be able to keep house! Chores, paperwork, cooking, and minor repairs. No more messy rez room with maids coming once a week, no food plan, and no student help centres. Even if you aren’t in charge of these things now, it is time to kick the learning into high gear. You have the time and at some point you will be responsible for a home, if not for others, so make sure you are ready!

At a minimum I suggest learning how to handle paperwork like utilities, health care, rent and home purchasing papers, and ID papers. For chores you should be able to do dishes (with and without a machine), wash laundry, clean floors, and manage garbage. Be able to cook two difference recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus some treats. As for repairs, change a lightbulb, assemble furniture, turn off the water/gas, change your oil, and change a tire. Those things should hold you over for most of adulthood. Pick up some other skills along the way and you are golden.

4. HOW TO BE YOURSELF. Spending hours partying or holed up in your room studying are probably not the best ideas moving forward. But you still need to leave time for you. Taking time to rest, enjoy your hobbies, take in nature, and do whatever else makes you happy is important to keeping you feeling good. Mentally, emotionally and physically. Not much more to say here!

5. HOW TO PLAN YOUR FUTURE. When you are in school, the future is adulthood and a working life. But now you are there! That means you have to figure out what the future means to you again and learn how to get there. Maybe you want to be CEO in 15 years and retire at 50 to a yacht club lifestyle. Or perhaps you want to save up, travel the world, and become a yogi. Settling down more your thing? Then learn what parenting really takes and start investing in your family. What ever your future may look like there is a path to be had and you have to continually learn to be on it!

What do you think of these lessons? What lessons would you add?
Let us know in the comments below!