Buzz
I didn't start feeling like an adult until I moved to New York after college, far from family and friends. It hit me when I had to furnish my own apartment on a $15/hour intern salary (my mom’s SUV could only carry so much when she drove from Michigan to help me start my new chapter). My first task: buying a mattress after several nights spent on the floor surrounded by suitcases and kitchen boxes.
The mattress was definitely my first 'grown-up' purchase. I managed to get it on sale for $400, then added a few comfy cushions and soft sheets from Amazon to make it feel homier. The first night in my new bed, in my new apartment, was a milestone—my roommate hadn’t arrived yet, and the only other furniture I had was an old card table that my boyfriend’s parents lent me to avoid eating on the floor. I felt a strange kind of happiness.
Now, I have a proper kitchen table, and just recently, I bought a stylish armchair, more for looks than comfort, which was another step toward feeling adult. I still have that same mattress, and it’s still on the floor in my Brooklyn apartment. A bed frame? I’m not *that* grown-up yet.
Here are the first 'adult' purchases made by some of the Mytour team members:
Managing Editor Virginia Smith
For me, it was my winter coat! I'm sure I made other 'adult' purchases before that, but after enduring years of freezing cold and endless layering, I finally had enough money to buy a proper puffy winter coat, and it has truly been a game-changer.
Parenting Editor Michelle Woo
A Christmas tree and ornaments.
Social Editor Caitlin Schneider
My couch! It’s the second least expensive one IKEA offers, and practically everyone owns it, but buying it was such a grown-up moment for me.
Staff Writer Nick Douglas
After our most recent move, my wife and I upgraded from a four-person IKEA table to a massive six-person dining table. Now, we can host dinner parties and D&D sessions with ease.
Contributor Jaime Green
I spent $250 on a hat in my first year after college (a velvet cloche that I wore… twice?). I always regretted that purchase, but the act of spending that much on myself did make me feel like an adult, especially with the responsibility that came with it.
Food & Beverage Editor Claire Lower
A vintage sofa.
Contributor Nicole Dieker
I invested in four framed art pieces from a local artist. It was the first time I had ever hung anything other than posters in a bedroom or apartment, and it made me feel like I was finally building a grown-up living space. Plus, I got to support local artists!
Health Editor Beth Skwarecki
My car. I had just begun grad school, truly living on my own for the first time—cooking my own meals, paying my own bills—and the beat-up old car my parents had lent me was no longer sufficient. They helped me navigate the process of buying my first car, and suddenly, I had my own set of wheels... and my own car and insurance payments. Ah, the joys of adulting.
Senior Video Producer Joel Kahn
For me, it would have to be my first queen-sized comforter when I moved out of college. It was a Marimekko duvet with a vibrant multicolor pattern, and I paid full price for it all by myself.
Editor in Chief Melissa Kirsch
I still don’t feel like an adult.
