On Being An Adult

In the mail this weekend, I received a large packet of information to help me choose my retirement plan.  The state of Ohio offers three different retirement plans to their employees (though you don’t have a choice in how much money comes out of your check).  There is a fairly traditional pension plan where you don’t have any choice about where you money goes, a plan that lets you choose entirely where you invest your savings and then an in between option which guarantees at least a partial pension, but lets you choose where to invest some of the money.

When I went to the HR orientation last month, they tried to explain all of these things to us, and ultimately I don’t think it’s that complicated.  But they kept using the word “irrevocable” because once you choose what type of plan you want you can never change it.  I suppose everyone has to make a decision like this at some point, and those of you who’ve been out in the professional world for a while probably don’t think this is a big deal.

But to me, it’s huge.  Right now, I’m working in my first professional job, married, living away from my home (Madison).  This is the place in my life that I’ve always been waiting for.  It’s a little strange that it was here.  It’s not like I don’t have any goals for the future, I definitely do, in both my personal and professional life.  But for as long as I can remember, it’s been “go to school, do a good job, finish and get a job.”  Now that I’ve achieved that, it’s taking some doing to get used to the idea of this new phase of my life.  It probably doesn’t help that I’ve had so many changes all at once.

I’m sure I will get used to things in time, but I just keep having all these moments where it hits me that adulthood is really here.  I’m glad things are working out so well.  I feel like I’ve been really blessed (not in a religious god thinks I’m special way, but that I’ve had really good fortune way), but it’s still a lot to take in.  Thank goodness I’m not having a kid any time soon, or my mind would be really messed up!