Do you remember graduating from college and thinking “Huh? What now?” You panic as you feel the endless responsibilities and pressure of a new world. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.
There are a lot of things schools don’t teach, including job interviews, doing your taxes, and living on your own. Fortunately, there are plenty of books about adulting that can demystify the adult world.
Books About Adulting
Hey, even if you didn’t go to college, you’ve also surely felt lost with what steps to take in being an adult. Whether you’re at this stage or past it, here are some books to help you out.
1. Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown
All new adults suffer from the same thing: feeling like they’re still a kid. But just because you don’t feel like an adult doesn’t mean you can’t act like one.
The problem is, the adult world is large, scary, and confusing. But it doesn’t have to be. Ranging from handling interviews to fixing your toilet, Adulting is a humorous and practical guide on various aspects of adulthood.
2. The Working Class Foodies Cookbook by Rebecca Lando
Unless you were born into a rich family, you probably have a limited budget when it comes to food. And when you’re still adjusting to the adult world, you also might not have that much time for cooking.
This book debunks the popular myth that healthy eating is just for the rich. It focuses on meals that are affordable, healthy, and won’t break the bank.
3. The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter and How to Make the Most of Them Now by Meg Jay
Some people say your twenties are just an extended period of your adolescence. Psychologist Meg Jay thinks otherwise.
Drawing from more than two decades of work, Jay explores the challenges and opportunities that a person’s twenties has to offer. Here, she highlights the importance of making meaningful choices early on, investing in your future, and how to make the most out of this critical time period.
4. The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner’s Guide to Getting Good with Money by Chelsea Fagan and Lauren Ver Hage
When you’ve just started earning your own money, it’s difficult to learn how to save or spend it. And for most of us, we enter a pattern of spending money without thinking about the future.
This book is a practical guide on financial literacy for young adults and finance noobs. It takes you almost step-by-step through budgeting, saving, investing, and getting good with your money.
5. My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag…and Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha by Jolie Kerr
Life can sometimes seem like an endless activity of cleaning up stains, mopping up spills, and removing odors. Worse, not all of these are the same and must be treated in different ways.
In this book, Jolie Kerr, the internet’s favorite cleaning expert, tackles all cleaning-related questions. With a combination of sass and straightforward knowledge, she’ll take you through the most basic of cleaning problems to even the weirdest.
6. Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse: One Twentysomething’s (Mostly Failed) Attempts at Adulthood by Alida Nugent
Every fresh-eyed, newly-graduated adult has been hit by the reality truck—a degree doesn’t guarantee a good career nor does it immediately solve problems. Alida Nugent knows that intimately.
Drawing from her own post-grad experiences, Nugent shares the awkward, and often confusing phase of turning from a student into an adult. This book isn’t chock full of advice like the others on this list, but it does have an important message: You’re not the only one making mistakes and failing.
7. Why Didn’t They Teach Me This In School? by Cary Siegel
High schools and colleges make it a point to teach their students everything they can about science, math, English, and more. But why don’t they have classes on something more practical, like handling money?
Initially written for his children, this book contains 99 principles that focus on the qualitative aspects of personal money management. It’s perfect for any new adult who wants to digest money talk in an easier and more understandable way.
8. Moment Maker by Carlos Whittaker
Life is defined by the moments we live. But in such a fast-paced and information loaded world, plenty of people find it difficult to make every moment count.
Here, Carlos shares powerful stories plucked from ordinary lives, along with the guidance of Scripture, that has made him live with purpose. From changing your perspective to shaking things up, this is a book that will help you live to your fullest potential.
9. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
If there’s one thing that defines people in their twenties, it’s that they absolutely suck at handling money. It becomes a flaw that fosters guilt at your spending habits, makes you doubt your financial skills, and prevents you from enjoying life.
Ramit Sethi’s book is your guide to probably everything you can think of regarding money, especially if you’re just starting out. Learn how to manage your debts, automate your finances, and finally enjoy your hobbies guilt-free.
10. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
Essentialism is a discipline that emphasizes making use of your time to maximize your outcomes. In a world where people are often stretched too thin, it’s a way of taking back control, contributing to what really matters, and re-enjoying your life.
This book is a guide towards that kind of mindset—that ultimately, you can do fewer things but in better ways to maximize their positive effects on every aspect of your life.
Surviving Adulthood
Being an adult gives you a lot of freedom and opens up plenty of possibilities. But, like everything else in life, it also means being burdened by the weight of your own decisions, people’s expectations, and other responsibilities.
Some people enter adulthood more prepared than others. However, no matter your level of preparedness, everyone’s definitely felt the pressure of becoming a new adult. Hopefully, some of the books above can shed some light on this mysterious stage of your life.
What books about adulting do you recommend? Share it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 8 Books Every Woman Should Read in Her Lifetime
- 12 Books for Graduates: Inspiring Reads to Guide Your Next Steps
- 12 Books That Every Man Should Read in His Lifetime
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
