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Alyssa Ajiz

Ms. Downey

English 101

9/21/2022

How Becoming an Adult Made Me Finally Grow Up

On the morning of July 8, 2022 I woke up to a hot and humid day, my last day in Texas.

As I got ready for the day and ate breakfast that morning, I did so, saddled with the knowledge

that this might be the last time I would ever live with my mother again. I then placed the four

bins full of all my belongings I’ve ever had into the back of my car. I packed up my dog, Tater-

tot, and my mom and I waved goodbye to my sister before we started our long drive of 1088

miles to Arizona, starting from Texas. The reason we were driving 16 hours across two states

was because I was moving out for college in Arizona. When we arrived in Arizona, one of my

immaturities was made apparent by how we had to enroll me into school, since I did not already

do it online, even though I had plenty of time to do so. I had just waited until my mom was with

me to do so, because I knew she would help me, she always does, even if it inconveniences her,

she was always there to pick up my slack. My mom not only helped me get enrolled, even

though that was my responsibility to do, she paid for gas, the basic utilities I did not yet have,

and even paid for all the food we ate. All good things have to come to an end, and she eventually

had to return to Texas because that’s where her life is and mine would begin here. As I watched

my mom leave to fly back to Texas I rapidly came to realize that she would no longer be around

to do everything for me when I fail to do so and that I need to grow up and take responsibility for

myself.
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The first thing I had to do when my mom left was to take a placement test in order to test

out of classes that I did not need or already knew the contents of. I was tasked with scheduling an

appointment with the school. I originally put off making it as the procrastinator I am, one of my

immaturities, until my mom messaged me to do it. For the next few days, she should persistently

text me “have you made the appointment yet,” and “when are you going to take a placement

test?” I eventually worked up the courage to call the testing center to schedule a math placement

exam and I drove myself to take the test the next day. I took the score I had to Academic

Advisement and the advisor informed me that my score was not high enough to allow me to test

out of certain classes and go directly into the class I wanted. So then, I had to get over my nerves

to call the testing center once again to schedule yet another appointment so that I could raise my

score. Once I had the score I wanted, I then had to pick my classes for the fall semester on my

own, without my mom to guide me. Throughout the whole process of picking my classes I went

unguided, therefore I felt very lost and confused. The only experience I had with making a

school schedule was picking my high school classes but that was mostly controlled by the

counselors. In this case, I had all the control of my schedule; what to take, where to take it, and

even the exact times to take them. As my first major decision without the assistance of my mom,

or any adult for that matter, I ended up botching the job and made a schedule that was

unnecessarily inefficient. It was clear that even though my mother trusted me to be on my own, I

still needed support.

After that, in the weeks leading up to the start of school I had to get legal documents and

other essentials sorted out to be able to stand on my own two feet. Unlike choosing classes, I was

given a helping hand from my family. The first item on my to-do list was getting my Arizona

driver’s license. My tia stepped up to the plate and helped me tremendously for this. She picked
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me up the day we agreed upon and we headed over early in the morning to the DMV. I had to get

my required documents, but my tia did most of the leg work and gathered and printed out the

documents I could not get. After waiting quite a while in line at the DMV, the two of us sat down

in front of the DMV employee. I was immediately asked many questions about myself and what

I wanted such as what my political party was or if I wanted to be an organ donor. I felt nervous

and a cold sweat came on, I could not look to my mom to answer for me, she was not even there.

I had to get over my social anxiety and answer for myself, a rarity for me prior to moving out as

my mom would take control of all situations. My tia left me to speak for myself so I could take

personal responsibility over my own life and future. We left after I was issued my new Arizona

driver’s license and I was dropped off at my home.

The second thing on my journey to independence was getting a college checking account.

No longer would I need to rely on the high school account my tia set up for me, I would be able

to have full control over my finances on the card. I visited her house in order to try to set up the

account online with her help, since she works at a bank. While trying to set up online we

discovered that the site was not to make an account, but to schedule an appointment with a

banker to create it in-person. I hated this notion as I struggled with social interaction and talking

about myself or anything personal, yet if I wanted full financial freedom I had to once again

overcome this obstacle. This time my tia did not collect the documents I needed, she left that to

me, and she did not pick me up to ensure we were on time for the meeting with the banker, I had

to meet her there. If I thought talking to the DMV employee was awkward, then my meeting

with the banker was nerve-wracking. I was asked about specifics of my future I have never given

a thought to such as: if I were to start working, how much would I make; if I would graduate

college, and when I would; and what I was planning to do with my finances. The whole
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conversation felt uncomfortably too personal for my liking, but I powered through. I came out

drained both socially and mentally from the intense questioning, but successful in my endeavor.

With my license and checking account situations sorted out, it was time for the final item

on my mental to-do list starting college. It took me until, shockingly, the night before my first

day of school to realize I forgot to get my student ID. When the most anticipated day arrived, I

left earlier than planned to rectify my mistake. I was apparently not the only one who did not

have everything figured out and the enrollment center was filled to the brim of students needing

their IDs before their first class. This was weirdly comforting to me to know I was not the only

one who did not have everything figured out. Once I got my student ID, I got through my first

week of school feeling disoriented and unsure of myself, was I going to be able to stick through

the whole semester? I was unable to even finish my own personal projects, how was I supposed

to stay on top of my grades and school work without outside assistance?

Even though I asked these questions of myself, I already knew the answers. Of the short

month and half I spent on my own I grew and matured more than the 4 years I spent in high

school. By deciding my own schedule I learned to give more thought into my future and how it

will affect me. From getting my Arizona driver’s license I was taught that I had to take

responsibility and prepare my own documents for my own appointments. In the interview I had

for a college checking account I became aware of what exactly I planned to do while in school

and beyond instead of floating through life. While I had to do many things on my own, I also

learned that I did not have to do it on my own and that my family would always support me. For

that I thank my mom, for allowing me to find myself and to finally mature into an independent

young adult.