LOS ALAMITOS, CA — With the end of the year upon us, seniors are going to be thrust into the adult world. As with any major change, there are plenty of important things that you must know in order to thrive in this new environment. Let’s go over some basic concepts that are sure to help and improve your life moving forward into adulthood.

COOKING

While it may seem simple, cooking is a very vital skill that many people value; it is important to be a competent cook; instant ramen isn’t gonna cut it forever. This doesn’t mean that you have to invest hours into becoming the best chef your apartment building has ever seen, it just means that you have to put in actual effort. The internet is full of incredible and varied recipes with detailed instructions, so there is no excuse for you to make Kraft mac and cheese for the tenth time this month.

REPAIRS

Nothing lasts forever, that is a basic part of reality. This concept also applies to objects and appliances that people use every day. Because of this, it is important that you are able to identify what is broken and be able to fix the problem if possible. For example, if your toilet breaks, it is important to be able to identify what broke. It is also important that you know how to properly fix the problem. Otherwise, you might break something else while fixing the first problem which leads to your toilet overflowing and being broken for over a week and requiring professional assistance (not that I’ve experienced that).

CLEANING

Another basic essential to living a healthy life is maintaining a clean home and appearance. Little things like personal hygiene and a clean living area may seem obvious but are important if you want to make a good impression on somebody. While some people will spend hundreds of dollars on hygiene products and deep cleaning their homes, this isn’t a requirement. Doing things like brushing your teeth and hair, showering, shaving, and getting a haircut are basic steps that make a big impact. While it is certainly important to deep clean your home every once in a while, basic tasks like dusting, wiping down surfaces, and straightening things out will show people that you care for and respect yourself and your space.

APPRECIATING NEW THINGS

As people grow, we experience new things. Sometimes we really enjoy something we experience and want to show it to other people who we know. However, people all have different tastes and can experience the same thing in different ways compared to their peers. This can lead to you not enjoying something as much as the person introducing the thing to you. In these situations, it is important to know how to react in order to not offend anyone. An easy thing that you can do in order to remain respectful is to explain how you can tell why people might enjoy something while simultaneously explaining why you don’t. So whenever your friend tries to introduce you to a new underground math rock band that they love, try and be respectful as you explain why you think they suck.

HOW TO EMPATHIZE

Empathy is a core ability when it comes to interacting with other people. Being able to offer support to somebody who is having issues mentally and emotionally is a great way to strengthen bonds and create connections. An easy way to show empathy is simply by being there for a person. Asking them if they need anything as well as offering to take them out to do something to get their mind off of whatever is bothering them can be great ways to support people. So while it may be hard not to laugh at your friend for doing something stupid that got them hurt, try to help them first and laugh about it later.

There are a lot of difficult things that come with leaving high school and becoming an adult. Making basic changes can drastically improve one’s life and make it so others aren’t repulsed by your presence, helping both yourself and those around you.