Things that age well: Wine, cheese, you – 10 Bristol student moments that make you feel like an adult

Something about the uni lifestyle means if I achieve more than two things in a day i’m proud and if one of those things involves hoovering or taking out the bins, I’m treating myself at the pub that night. 

Waking up at five am, doing a workout and then completing the extra reading for your course is cool and stuff but if you can take a metre reading, you’re officially an adult and your life is definitely together. 

Time to buy more candles and get your washing ready, here are 10 moments that will make you feel like an adult at uni.

1. Scheduling trips to Lidl with the friend that can drive 

Nothing says adult like getting driven to Lidl to do a weekly shop.

Whether you piss the saved money up the wall on overpriced Jäger bombs or Deliveroo that week it doesn’t matter. You’ve been to Lidl and that is top tier adulting, might as well meal prep for the family while you’re at it . 

2. Asking everyone for a screwdriver to build flat pack furniture

A cute wholesome day out to Ikea is all fun and games until you bring a bedside table home and the box sits in your room for months (guilty). 

If you can successfully build flatpack furniture and have it not collapse after you touch it, you should put it on your dating profile, cv and even work it into daily conversation because it is a first class skill. 

3. Using Splitwise 

If your bills aren’t included, Spiltwise is a godsend. It feels adult probably because it’s actually a really useful and good idea and usually not many things at uni are useful or ever good ideas.

Transferring is simpler, you can’t get out of owing money and you don’t have to send the awkward, “hey not to be a pain but you do still owe me £1.50” text. 

Very adult if you ask me. 

4. Worrying about mould

Instead of recycling your favourite gossip for the fifth time that week, the house’s conversation has moved onto who has seen the mould in the bathroom.

Gone are the worries over who is wearing what this Saturday and instead extractor fans and condensation on the windows are the hot topic of discussion. Did someone say pensioners?

5. Ringing student health services

Time to grow some balls, your mum can no longer pretend to be you on the phone. 

Ringing the Doctors is hands down the completion of adulthood, from making an appointment with the scary receptionists to turning up on time and sitting in the waiting room all on your own. Terrifying.

Bonus points if you don’t lie about your nicotine addiction when asking why your chest feels so tight after coming back to Bristol .

6. Remembering to eat more greens 

Being responsible, eating protein and incorporating more salad into your diet makes you an independent girl boss who could probably move to London and work a corporate job tomorrow. 

7. Constantly emailing the landlord

If the landlord had snapchat they’d be my number one best friend and we’d probably have the yellow heart by now too.

Embrace your inner Karen and get nagging about everything and anything, from the oven to shower heads there’s nothing you can’t harass them for.

8.  Buying toilet roll, cooking oil, washing up liquid 

You’re definitely the mum of the group if you ensure your house is never out of toilet roll but also probably one of the house’s favourites. 

And while buying things you can’t wear or eat is extremely unsatisfying, get your gilet ready and embody a true yummy mummy as you tick bleach off the list during your supermarket shop. 

9. Organising group outings 

“Sorry babe I can’t come round, I’m taking my housemates to build a bear”.

Bit niche but have you really grown up if you haven’t trekked to Cribbs with your housemates to all build a matching soft toy? 

In all seriousness, this was a very organised outing and definitely showed us we will never stop spending money on things we don’t need and definitely need to heal our inner child.

Time to bond by taking the kids on a fun day out. 

10. Actually getting involved in group projects 

Those Whatsapp groups require a lot of effort and the responsibility of being part of a team feels extremely grown up. 

Hands down the most terrifying thing about second year is that it counts, the workload is more and nights out in Gravity are less. 

Saying no to a drink to be up in time for that Senate project meeting immediately makes you an adult, delete your parents number, you don’t rely on soul anymore. 

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