Everything in New York is right at your fingertips—millions of food options, transportation options, and shopping options next-door. But lugging a 25 pound laundry bag over my shoulder several minutes while trying to find the nearest laundromat reminded me of how much I take (and took) living at home for granted. I actually enjoy doing my own laundry—my mom thinks I add too much detergent, which is entirely true, but I feel productive when I do anything that is implicit in being an adult. Thinking about groceries, likewise, is something I haven’t really had plan up until now. My first two years at school consisted of eating at the dining halls and during my third year, food wasn’t a main priority (I was totally content eating pasta 7 times a week). But this summer is hopefully a reflection of my future, and pasta isn’t going to cut it for the rest of my life. My sister stayed over a few weeks ago and whipped together mushrooms, onions, garlic, and heavy cream in a pan as I watched in awe. For her, this was easy. For me, it seemed taxing. She said it was one of the simpler meals she makes and I’m still pretty impressed because Trader Joe’s has really good frozen food options and I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t simply pop one of the frozen packets in a microwave, but when I had suggested it, Laeticia (my sister) was appalled.

So as I struggle through planning ahead, I’m growing. I’m learning to time-manage and to prioritize what needs to be done versus what I want to do but don’t have time to. I love good food, I am just too lazy to plan a meal consisting of more than four ingredients—slowly, however, I’m maturing.