Exit Strategy: Five things you need to know how to do before you leave home

This month, we began a summer series in the print edition of ec, detailing things you need to know before you leave home. The June story tackles things you need to know how to do; the July article focuses on things you need to do and conversations you need to have; the August article will focus on how to prepare spiritually. We'll feature the articles here on the blog, so be on the lookout for them this summer. 

For some of you, this will be your last summer before you enter the “real world.” Whether you’re going to college, work, or serving in the military, there are things you need to know before you’re on your own. And whether you’re leaving the nest this fall or not, we at ec want to help you learn those things. That’s why we’ve asked Julie Partin to write this three-part “Exit Strategy” series. She’ll talk about all the things you need to know, including the practical stuff you’ll see this month.

How to . . .
• Change a Tire. Vehicles come equipped with the essential materials (spare tire, jack, and tire iron) to change a tire. As a safety precaution, do not change a tire in an unsafe area. The car should be turned off, in park, on a level surface, with the emergency break and hazard lights on.
Step-by-step instructions:
Take the spare tire, jack, and tire iron out of car (usually, the trunk). Loosen bolts with the tire iron while the car is still on the ground. Place the jack underneath the door frame nearest to the flat tire. The jack is used to raise the car and requires a tire iron to operate. Stick the pointed end of the tire iron into the designated slot and rotate clockwise. The vehicle should slowly lift up. Make sure you raise the car high enough so that the new tire will fit.
To take off the flat tire, loosen bolts with the other end of the tire iron. Turn the iron counter-clockwise. Remember, “Lefty, loosey. Righty, tighty.” Do not lose the bolts because you will need them to attach the spare tire. Take the old tire off and place it in the trunk.
Put the spare tire on the vehicle. Place the bolts on the spare tire by hand-tightening them first. In a star (not circular) formation, tighten the bolts with the tire iron until they’re secure, then lower the vehicle completely. Remove the jack and finish tightening bolts in the star formation.
Drive under 55 mph immediately (or as soon as possible) to replace the spare tire.

• Sort Laundry. This should help you understand how to separate your dirty clothes into appropriate loads. Always check the tags in your clothing, but here are a few general tips:
Darks: (cold water) Deep colors such as red or black.
Lights: (warm water) Cream, pastel, or light colors.
Whites: (hot water) Most of the time a light cycle can include white items, but there are times when heavily worn items like socks and underwear require bleach.
Delicates: The water temperature depends on the colors of the clothing, but just be sure to use the gentle cycle and/or spin with these items.
Towels and linens: (warm or hot water) Use the normal spin cycle.
Some guys (and a few gals) avoid separating clothes altogether. Your clothes will not last as long and you run the risk of colors bleeding, but it can save you time and cash. One option is to get a delicates bag and use it to shelter different textures of clothing from each other if they are in the same load.

• Cook. The best thing you can do for yourself is develop a nutritious and inexpensive diet. The worst is to constantly stuff yourself on fast food. Here are a few go-to meals:
Decide on a good, simple breakfast, and make it a habit to eat at the beginning of each day. Your morning classes and practices will be much better. Some healthy examples are:
• Whole grain cereal and milk
• Bagel and cream cheese
• Fresh fruit
For lunch and dinner, find a sandwich you love. It can be as simple as peanut butter and jelly. The best option is to include a source of protein such as turkey or ham. Experiment with cheeses, condiments, and vegetables until you find one you crave.
Burritos/soft tacos are easy and cheap. You need tortillas, shredded cheese, and refried beans. It is helpful if you have a pot to heat up the beans, but they are edible without. To add extra taste, include lettuce, tomato, sour cream, cooked chicken or beef, and hot sauce.
Pasta is a little more complicated but still not difficult. Boil some water, throw in pasta, cook it until it is soft, drain the water, dump your sauce of choice in the pan with the cooked noodles, wait until it is steaming, and voilà!—a delicious meal.
Good snacks to keep you going:
• Nuts and trail mixes will help on a day when you are feeling tired.
• Hummus with pita chips
• Cheese with crackers

• Change Sheets. It is helpful to have at least two sets of sheets that fit your bed. Wash one while the other is on the bed. There are typically two pieces of material in sheet sets; some also include pillowcases. The sheet with the ends that curl over with elastic is called the “fitted sheet” and is used to cover the mattress. Put these on one corner at a time, tucking each corner under the mattress. The flat sheet goes over your body when you sleep. It is helpful to tuck the bottom corners (that will be by your feet) under the mattress to hold the sheet in place. If you have allergies or are sick, it is best to change your sheets once a week. Since laundry can be expensive and inconvenient if you have to use a laundromat, you can probably get away with twice a month. At the very least, though, change your sheets once a month. However, it is important to still change your pillowcase every week to keep you from breaking out and getting sick.

• Make a Budget. While you will probably not experience the full brunt of bill-paying until later in life, it is necessary and helpful to do some financial planning now. Determine how much money you have to spend every month or week. Then determine what things you will need to spend your money on. Some common examples are:
• Food
• Gasoline
• Tithe
• Rent
• Toiletries
• Bills (such as cell phone, electricity, or school expenses)
• Events (dates and concerts)
• Clothes
• Savings
• Miscellaneous

Determine your own categories based on your personal needs and desires. Decide how much money you can spend on each of these categories. Try not to go over budget in any category. Simple boundaries will save you lots of stress and set you up for success in the future.

image © Martin Poole / Thinkstock