We’ve all heard the conventional milestones that people expect you to tick off in your 20s: a degree, travel the world, marriage, babies. Somehow all those things are supposed to happen within just a few years.

But most of us twenty-somethings feel pretty far from any of that (very, very, very far from the baby sitch). Instead, these are the small milestones that deserve celebration because hey, being an adult in your 20s is hard:

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When You Know Your Drinking Limits (And Stick To Them)

A massive round of applause to you! We’ve all got sick from boozing way too hard at least once, and yet many of us did not learn from that experience and continued to do it again and again.

When you get to the point in your 20s where you know your limits and don’t get black-out drunk, you know you’re kicking goals.

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Waking Up Without Hitting The Snooze Button

I can’t say I’m quite there yet, but I envy anyone who has this particular talent. When you’re a student, it’s easy to snooze your way through an entire morning lecture. The moment you become a morning person and no longer need to protest against your alarm — well, let me know how that goes.

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Making A Budget (And Following It)

We’re all guilty of saying “I’m on a budget”, only to throw it completely out the window with drinks on Friday and Saturday nights.

But if you can actually create a budget (in a spreadsheet no less) and know how much you should be spending per week, that’s a pretty big achievement.

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When You’ve Learnt To Take Care Of Your Physical And Mental Wellbeing

You can’t spend your entire 20s ignoring exercise or the demons inside your head.

Both your physical and mental health need to be looked after if you want to be a happy, functioning person. Making that decision is often a challenge, but 100 percent worth it.

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Going Overseas For A Purpose

Whether it’s for exchange, a gap year, or a solo trip to “find yourself”, it’s a real achievement to save for a trip that will help you grow as a person.

Not just that, but planning an entire trip all by yourself without completely fucking up (minor fuck-ups accepted) deserves a pat on the back. It’s not easy.

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Handing In An Assignment Days Before The Deadline

Who are these people? How do they do it? If this is you, you should be more than proud of yourself. You definitely deserve some kind of medal or, at the very least, a firm high-five.

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Having A Well-Stocked Pantry

When you move out and start to cook something beyond microwave mac ‘n’ cheese, you’ll realise your cupboard is missing all the things you had at your disposal at your parents’ place.

Over time, once you build up your cupboard with staples like sugar, spices and all kinds of flour, you’ll feel like a true adult.

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Reading News That Doesn’t Come From Your Facebook Feed

The fact that news is now so readily accessible through Facebook isn’t all bad (it’s probably how you found this!), but there are definite downsides. For one, your feed is catered to your taste, so it’s rare to get a look at things outside of your direct interests or worldview. It’s hard to expand your knowledge about the world if you don’t read more widely.

Seeking out experience and opinions different from your own is a very Adult Move. And, though it’ll definitely make you angry from time to time, it’ll also make you a more informed person.

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This post originally appeared on Hijacked. It’s republished here with the author’s permission.