What Are The Things I Should Know Before I Turn 18?

As someone who was recently 18 and has been dealing with the transition from teenager to legal adult, there is a lot that we, as young adults, should know by 18. Most of it isn’t taught in high school or explained on a daily basis. Realistically, these “must-knows” are not really mentioned anywhere until it’s an issue that needs to be handled. In today’s post, I will detail both major and little things young people should all know by the age of 18. However, if you start reading this and feel anxious or overwhelmed, don’t be. It is not the end of the world. You have time to grow and develop these life skills. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself right now. You are already taking the first step by reading this post. So give yourself some grace and then keep reading.

How to practice good time management is arguably the most important thing that you should know by your 18th birthday. Time is something that you cannot get back – once it is used, that’s it. So, learn how to use it wisely. Second, is the importance of understanding that experience is priceless and good grades are just necessary.

We will talk about this more so later in the post.

Know How To Utilize Good Time Management Skills

Learning proper time management is essential to creating and developing a life for yourself. Without good time management skills, you risk allowing yourself to be spread thin, less productive, more forgetful, and potentially open to becoming stagnant if not regressive.

Plus, proper time management skills can help you have a good work/life balance and do more with less time. It can even help you decrease stress levels since you have a better handle on the things that are grabbing your attention.

So, how do you develop time management skills?

It is more than getting good at to-do lists.

It starts with understanding your responsibilities and what is demanded of you each day. From there you can develop a schedule or routine that helps you handle your responsibilities.

Next, it’s all about having the dedication to see the process through and how well you adapt. Now that you don’t need parental consent, your entire life has changed and it will continue to do so as you have new life experiences and meet new people. However, one of the central things that you should be dedicated to is using your time in a manner that you see is optimal for yourself.

Remember, it’s your life to live.

As you create your schedule and experiment with what works and what doesn’t, remember that this is all a learning process, and yes at 18 you should have some type of handle on time management, but you do not have to be perfect at it.

If you are interested in learning more about managing your time, especially as a working student, check out this article I wrote on that topic.

Know How To Hold A Conversation & Promote A Healthy Social Life

I think with the prevalence of social media and the endless list of things that young people can do outside of traditional social activities, many are missing out on the value of genuine social interaction. As a young person, it’s important to focus on developing your interpersonal skills and becoming comfortable engaging with others face-to-face.

Now, there’s been a lot of societal change, like the removal of “third places”, that has had a lot to do with this shift from young people being able to easily socialize face-to-face.

However, at a young age, you still have the opportunity and time to develop a community for yourself and find good people to connect with in person. Those best friends that you can call at any hour of the day and that have your back – those are the types of relationships that you should aim to foster.

Read More: 13 Ways To Develop Your Interpersonal Skills

Compound Interest Is A Friend. Try And Make It Your Best Friend

Albert Einstein calls compound interest the 8th wonder of the world for a reason. Actually, both Einstein and Benjamin Franklin raved about the power of compound interest plenty of times throughout their lives.

If you are not familiar with this term, compound interest is the interest you earn on interest. Interest can be compounded at various periods such as daily, monthly, and yearly. Think about the money that you earn for having money in a bank account.

Benjamin Franklin provides an excellent example of the powers of compound interest by using his own money just to prove how powerful compound interest can be given enough time.

Check out this excerpt from The Elements of Investing:

When Franklin died in 1790, he left a gift of $5,000 to each of his two favorite cities, Boston and Philadelphia. He stipulated that the money was to be invested and could be paid out at two specific dates, the first 100 years and the second 200 years after the date of the gift. After 100 years, each city was allowed to withdraw $500,000 for public works projects. After 200 years, in 1991, they received the balance—which had compounded to approximately $20 million for each city. Franklin’s example teaches all of us, in a dramatic way, the power of compounding. As Franklin himself liked to describe the benefits of compounding, “Money makes money. And the money that money makes, makes money”

I mean wow. That’s amazing! $5,000 to $20 million is astounding. Now granted this was with 200 years of compounding. Nevertheless, think about what you could accomplish with 40 years of your money working for you if you start at 18 years old. Who knows – you might make enough right moves that you can later create a sizable child trust fund for your children.

Know How to Manage What Is In Your Bank Account

Pretty soon, if not already, you are going to be earning more money than you ever have before. Learning how to manage it and how to grow your earning capabilities is an excellent goal to set for your 18-year-old self. At a minimum, you should know how to create and balance a budget. A basic understanding of financial literacy is one of the biggest helpers in setting yourself up for retirement and a more financially free life. The work starts at 18 though and it requires you to know more than just how much money is currently in your bank account.

Some of the most important lessons to know when it comes to managing your money revolve around the idea of living below your means. If this is your first time hearing about this idea – don’t worry.

Living below your means as you enter into adulthood helps you keep your costs low as your earning power increases. The beauty in this is that by keeping costs low you give yourself a higher disposable income, or income after all necessities are paid for. With a greater disposable income you can do all types of things like max out your Roth IRA and 401 (k), buy a home, buy a car if needed, and so much more.

If you are interested in learning more about managing your money check out YNAB ( You Need A Budget). It’s the budgeting software that I use and I live by this software. Use my referral link and get a free month to try it out and see what it can do for you.

Experience Is Priceless, Good Grades Are Just Necessary

Have you ever tried to apply for a job that says it is an entry-level position, but they are asking that you have three years of work experience and a certification that you’ve never heard of?

Yeah, me too.

But hey, you were an Honor Roll student and just received this fancy piece of paper! So why do you need more pieces of paper?

Well, it sucks, but that’s the way it is. Experience is weighted more. We go through our adolescence being told grades are what will get us to the next level. That is not true, our grades can get us to the door, but the experience is what will get us through it.

So, understand that keeping good grades is necessary, but gaining experience is where you can truly find ways to add and get value in life.

Now, I’m not saying to give up in school. I’m saying maybe consider some extracurricular activities that give you actually hard and soft skills in the area of your intended career choice. If you start implementing this during your freshman year of college if not sooner, you’ll be years ahead of your peer group when it comes time for job hunting.

Focusing on gaining experiences also increases your likelihood of developing new friends who have the same passions as you. This can be a major asset for you because you will be able to build strong relationships with like-minded individuals who can collaborate with you, challenge you, and support you along the way.

Know How To Utilize A Debit Card And Start Learning How To Use A Credit Card

At 18 you should know how debit and credit cards work. Sadly, this is not taught in school but there are countless outlets, like Adulting Starts Here, out there for you to learn.

In brief, a debit card is really just another form of cash. When you pay for something the money leaves your account just as cash would leave your hand at the register. The difference is exactly that you are not using cash, and nothing is leaving your hand at that moment. The money is instead being sent to the seller electronically.

A credit card on the other hand is like a tab. You buy items, but money does not immediately leave your hand or account as it does with cash or a debit card. Instead, with a credit card, the money becomes a debt that accrues until it is paid. In paying that debt off, that’s when the money now leaves your account.

Now, this is a very brief talk on debit and credit cards. If you are interested in going more in-depth about debit and credit cards there are plenty of online resources to help you understand. I might even do a post about it myself!

I have developed a whole “How-To Credit Card Saga” that I will link here – Learn more about how to utilize credit cards.

Know How To Do Your Own Laundry

It boggles my mind that people do not know how to do their own laundry before they turn 18, but I have seen many people wash their clothes wrong. I mean really wrong. Just a quick digression, I once saw someone wash and dry their muddy shoes and bedsheets together. When they pulled out the sheets and shoes from the dryer, their shoes had shrunk and their sheets had dried dirt stains.

Don’t be that person! You are too old!

Like colors should be washed together. Wash your sheets separately. If you are going to wash your shoes let them air dry or do the tumble “air fluff”/no heat in the dryer.

Please learn how to do your own laundry! It is truly one of those essential life skills that are needed to survive in today’s real world.

Know How To Make Your Own Appointments

Knowing how to make your own appointments ranges from a regular doctor’s appointment to scheduling a haircut. It’s one of those life lessons that is better to learn sooner rather than later. Most doctors and businesses in the United States have scheduling systems where you can book your appointment. If you live outside the United States, scheduling an appointment is usually just a WhatsApp message away from securing an appointment.

In that same vein of health, it is important to learn about your health care providers and how your health insurance works. 18 year olds can still be on their parents’ insurance, but the time will come when you have to get your own health insurance. Start the learning process now so you will have time to learn the common terminology and processes that revolve around health insurance. Your preparation today can make a huge difference for you in the future.

In addition to knowing how to make your own appointments, I’d like to just note that it is important to have basic first aid skills. Nothing fancy, just the basics to help you survive and make it to that next appointment.

Buying Used Can Save You A Lot Of Money

As you probably have heard from a lot of people by now, it is usually better to buy used. Whether you are looking to save money, focus on your carbon footprint, or just enjoy the idea of finding new life in something old, buying second-hand offers a lot of advantages when compared to buying everything brand new.

I’d argue that a lot of young adults recognize this idea and this is why we are actually seeing a resurgence of popularity in thrift stores and places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. It’s an opportunity to get the things you want while saving a lot of money because you can get a lot of things for a fraction of their original sale price.

Plus, when you really think about it, very few things in our lives should always be bought new. Underwear, for example, should be bought new. That makes sense. Who wants to wear someone else’s underwear?

Pants and shirts on the other hand, if in good condition can definitely be reused. I mean if you have an older sibling you’ve definitely been the lucky recipient of some used clothing.

A great way I like to challenge myself with this idea of buying new versus old is with a simple question of functionality. If you are buying something, hopefully, you are buying it for its functionality, so if a used item still functions well why would you pay more for the new item?

If I determine that an item can serve its purpose while being “used” then I initially try to find a “used” version of the item before purchasing a “new” version.

Putting It All Together

As a newly minted or soon-to-be 18-year-old, these are some of the most important things that you should know by now or aim to learn right way. So, take the time to let what you just read soak in. Re-read it. Do more research here at Adulting Starts Here and see what else you can learn. The good habits that you work to instill today will pay dividends throughout your whole life. Good luck and I will see you in the next post.

Thanks for reading! If you see any value in this article, please share it with others you think could benefit from reading it. Adulting Starts Here is all about increasing access to the information necessary for us to make the most of these transition years into adulthood. So share the information – help increase access.