The days of dining hall meals are in the past, what lies ahead are adventures of cooking in your own kitchen. This means that food shopping is necessary and the fire extinguisher should be ready in case of a mishap.

It’s exciting and new, but also time-consuming and nerve-racking if growing up you skipped out on the baking sessions with grandma and cooking lessons with mom. These 11 stages of cooking for yourself as told by Michelle Tanner should help ease you into this new situation.

1. When you realize the only way to feed yourself without going entirely broke is to go grocery shopping and start cooking.

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It’s a big moment to realize that the time has come to do your own cooking. Call a friend or family member who may have some pointers, everything will be okay.

2. When you sit down to make your first grocery list and realize you don’t know what to get or how to budget.

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It might be best to get some tips and tricks before starting out.

3. When you have everything ready and try cooking dinner for the first time.

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Okay, you can do this.

4. When you have a realization that you’re in fact not Guy Fieri.

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When you try your best but you don’t succeed.

5. And then, when you succeed making your first pasta dinner.

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Small steps… Small steps.

6. When your roommate claims to hate Skinny Pop, but all of your popcorn disappears.

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Hopefully she doesn’t also claim to hate bananas…

7. When all the “useless” utensils are stored high above the cabinets.

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…and then you realize that it’s actually pretty useful to have a blender, and a cutting board, and probably some plates too.

8. When you overspend early in the month and have to scavenge to buy groceries by the end of the month.

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Maybe this week’s menu will be a lot of cereal.

9. When you finally get the hang of it all.

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Next stop, Food Network.

10. When you’re unsure how your masterpiece came together.

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Sometimes it’s best not to question it. Let’s just hope you can replicate the recipe again.

11. When your dinner is worthy of Instagram and you want to share it with the world.

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The truest test of a millennial’s cooking abilities.