I’m 18 months in to being a full adult, left to roam the world and I am going round learning lessons. There are some that I am very welcoming to learn about, such as taxes, credit cards and getting property. Then are there are some that I honestly wished I was informed in school, so then I don’t look like an idiot learning it now. Here are a few lessons that I wished I learnt earlier, to prevent the sheer embarrassment that I felt.
Coffee
I wasn’t a coffee person until my 20’s. I used to think it was bitter and was unaware that there were flavours that could make it taste nicer. This meant I avoided coffee places, or just ordered hot chocolate. Lately I have been getting coffee, but I have done it the wrong way.
I have been going to shops and bought those pre-made coffees, and drinking them and experimenting with them. However, since they are already flavoured and 1 size, I had no idea what the actual coffee would look like in a coffee house, nor how it should/would actually taste. If not that, I would make Mocha’s because I like the taste of my hot chocolate with the extra caffeine kick.
When I learnt the lesson
February 2023: I went to 200 degrees coffee house in Nottingham. This was a brilliant place, and was recommended by a friend. I looked at the wall at the prices and thought “Wow these are so cheap, I can try anything and barely regret it. But let me go for something familiar”.
I have previously had Latte’s and Macchiato’s bought from Iceland [Image above]. So instead of making the smart decision of going with a latte with either caramel or vanilla, I decided a Macchiato. I needed to go to the bathroom, so I told my friend “Hey, can you get me a Caramel Macchiato, I’m fine with medium, but if they have a large I’d prefer that.” And I left.
When I got back, they had ordered, and were waiting. They call us forward and the barista puts down the smallest coffee cup I had ever seen, and it was ¼ full. I was confused. My eyes bulged out of my head and I started questioning if my friend had forgotten the size I asked for or if the barista forgot to add the milk. They put a lid on it and I was in denial thinking that I was mine. Sadly, it was, and it was incredibly bitter. Nothing like the one I get Iceland. I was disappointed, and my friend was in hysterics.
The lesson
- Go to the fancy coffee houses. Start off with a latte with a flavour, such as caramel or vanilla. You can’t go wrong with a latte.
- Don’t worry if you think you will look stupid asking the barista about what to expect with coffee. You aren’t born knowing coffee types, so no one will expect you to.
- Work up and learn about what you like. You won’t know until you try.
Car keys
Not everyone has a car, but I feel like what I experienced needs to be shared, and tips need to be given. Look at your car keys, do you have special buttons beyond the “unlock” and “lock” buttons? DON’T use them. DON’T get tempted to. The lesson you learn could be expensive and avoidable.
When I learnt the lesson
So, a couple days before the coffee incident a friend and I were getting ready to go watch a movie. After the movie we would head to an air bnb, so we need to pack our belongings in my car. I went and took my stuff to my car, and decided to try out the “boot button”. I had never used this button before, and was curious on how it worked.
SPOILER: It unlocks the boot without the rest of the car, but I still had to open the boot manually.
My clumsy self, put her keys on the shelf of the boot, to have her hands free to load the car. Then I closed the boot, and heard my car lock, whilst seeing my keys in full view from the back window, sitting on the shelf inside the car. MY HEART DROPPED.
My spare key was 400 miles away in my flat, which we couldn’t access, because my 1 set of flat keys were locked in the car as well. To say I panicked, would be an understatement. Went round all my doors, trying to pull them open, as if I was as strong as the hulk. For a hot second, I contemplated smashing one of my windows to get the key back. I DIDN’T, and I BEG don’t do it, it would be your worst idea yet.
Once my friend calmed my tantrum, they suggested calling my breakdown cover. This was a whole other can of worms, and will be another blog post. But after getting a hold of them, they sent someone and less than 2 hours after locking my keys in the car, they were back in my hands, with no broken windows. Best thing was that it didn’t cost me penny (except we had to buy more cinema tickets, since I couldn’t reschedule the booking – Side eye).
The lesson
- NEVER, use the special buttons. Only use the central locking system. It’s all you need, you don’t need anything else. The rest is just nonsense.
- Always, ALWAYS, put your keys back in your pocket, after you unlock the car. Then when you shut the doors and it self-locks, they will be on your person, and not in the car.
- You can get your keys printed, and they key won’t need your fob. This means it’s more compact and you can keep it in places that the fob wouldn’t fit. This makes it handier to unlock your car.
- Keep your spare keys in a different location with reliable access, i.e. someone else’s house that you trust. Give yourself options.
These are two lessons that I wished I didn’t have to learn, so hopefully they will help you in avoiding them.
Moral of my story:
- Experiment with coffee– try it, and find what suits your taste
- Don’t get paranoid about what people will think– that analysis paralysis won’t help you in the future, it just delays the inevitable
- Never use the special buttons on your fob– They’re unnecessary
- Give yourself options for your spares– Keep them somewhere accessible just in case
