If you’re living in a dorm, apartment, or house, living on your own for the first time is the taste of ultimate freedom. Gone are the days of having to listen to your parents for simple things, or sharing a bathroom with an annoying sibling. Adulthood is among us, and it’s bittersweet. Don’t worry if you’re still living at home paying rent is not a fun thing! Here are some of the things you’ve definitely noticed about living on your own, or things you can look forward to if you’re still at home.
Roommates become your saviours
If you live alone, this section will relate more to your friends, floormates, or neighbours. The people you surround yourself with will help you with the simple things and the bigger things. Sharing a home with your friends is a weird experience, kind of like a sleepover that never ends. Sometimes it can get frustrating, but other times it can be the time of your life. From borrowing sugar to shoes, or having a guide to talk about boys with, your friends are your best allies. A night in with your roommates is often more fun than a night out.
Wine finds itself in the necessities category
You used to laugh about the middle-aged mom’s obsession with wine, until you suddenly found yourself to be a middle-aged mom yourself (except in your 20s and probably without a child). You’re probably not very cultured with your wines. However, you certainly know which wine is good for different occasions, and that’s all that you need! Wine is something you can have at the end of the day, preferably in a bubble bath, and if you have an extra glass (or 3), who’s really judging? Not the wine, and certainly not your roommates who are right there with you.
You’re in charge of yourself
Being on your own is where you realize that you can do whatever you want, whenever you please. You’re in charge of yourself, so it’s up to you to make sure everything that you have to do gets done. Time management is always a challenge, especially when there’s no one around to remind you of your responsibilities. Just because you can now do whatever you want, doesn’t mean that you should. Go to bed at a decent hour, do your homework, eat your vegetables, and only have ice cream for breakfast on Fridays!
You always have to clean
Before, your main responsibility was your room and a certain chore of the house. While that’s still true today, with a greater list of chores, you don’t have a parent around to help you when you drop the ball. Dropping the ball means your roommate having to do it or it simply just not getting done. Both are not cool, and both result in tension and/or a pig sty. Planning time to clean is rough, since it’s not necessarily on your list of things to do. Take a day where you have earlier classes, and dedicate the afternoon/evening to cleaning your space. It makes a difference, and it helps to improve your mood. Clean your room every night before you go to bed, and get what you’ll need ready. Morning you will be grateful.
Cooking for one is the hardest thing in the world
Portioning is a skill that takes a while to fully grasp. You’ll often find yourself with too many noodles, resulting in way too much sauce to make sure you have enough for the noodles! While leftovers means not having to cook the next day, it also means limiting what you can eat which isn’t always good. Make sure you section your meats in freezer bags to make it easier to grab single portions, and use fresh vegetables to control how much you have to cook at one time.
Mother really does know best
Mother, father, big sibling, grandparent… whoever it is, they will always there for backup. Even though you’re on your own, you’re not taking on the world alone, and that’s important to remember. It’s ok to call for help, and you will need help at one point or another. While you can always get some assistance from your roommates, reinforcements from home are always nice. Listen to someone who loves you because they’ll have your best interests at heart.
Living on your own is this new and exciting adventure. It’s also weird, and difficult, but it helps you to grow and mature as you navigate your way through life!