I never imagined myself living away from home during university. In my mind, I always thought I’d commute for school and live at home, but it was a very last-minute decision at the end of grade 12 where I decided that I wanted to live closer to the campus. Overall, living alone/with roommates has been a rewarding experience for me, and I highly encourage others to try it out too. Here are some things I have learned in my 2 years of living away from home.
- Meal prep saves your life
Living independently means I have to cook for myself. This is something I really struggled with in first year, because I had to manage my schoolwork but also getting in three meals a day. Oftentimes I’d eat one big meal and have smaller snacks throughout the day, but this really didn’t give me the energy I needed to go through the day. This is when I began to meal prep. Even writing down what I ’m going to eat through the week helps me save a lot of time. When I know what I ’m going to eat through the week, I can make a grocery list and complete all of my shopping on the weekend when I have more time. This way, I’m getting in three meals and have the energy to sustain the whole day!
- I need people to make me happier
Living alone has also taught me a lot about myself. In the past years, I’ve learned that I really need people around me when I’m having a bad day. It’s made me appreciate my friends and family way more than I did before. I love spending my evenings watching a movie or even just having dinner with my roommates. We talk about our day and mentally relax.
- Learning to use public transport
Since I live alone, I don’t have access to my own car. One of the first big things I learned when I started university was how to use public transport. This includes the local busses and Go busses/trains. It’s made me a more independent person, as I can travel anywhere I want without relying on someone to drive me.
- Cleaning up after myself
I never imagined that a living space can get so dirty by just, well… living in it! I soon realized that it’s important to have a cleaning regimen to keep the space looking clean and fresh. My roommates and I have created a weekly routine of giving the space a deep clean every Thursday night. This is the time we take to sweep, mop, clean the kitchen and our rooms. This leaves the space clean for a good week. By cleaning regularly, it also decreases the amount we need to tidy up each week since less dirt and clutter is built up through the week.
All in all, there are many benefits to living alone. It’s taught me so much about myself and has made me a more independent person. These were just the four big things that I’ve learned being on my own. University has so many wonderful things to offer. It’s also been a big phase of learning for me, and a big reason for that is because I live away from home. So, if you are able to live away from home during university, I’d definitely recommend it!