By: Angelique Gauthier
Living on your own is one of the biggest milestones of your life—it can even be imagined as the ultimate sign of adulthood. You depart from the comforts of your childhood home and neighborhood—where your parents take care of all the domestic responsibilities—to fend for yourself in an unknown city while maintaining a decent GPA. Scary, right? To make this process a little easier, here are eight handy pieces of advice to have before actually moving to campus.
Cooking is more difficult than you’d expect
As a first-year student in residence you are stuck with a meal plan, which means all the cooking and dish-washing is done for you. But come second year, you lose this luxury and must prepare food that is edible and somewhat nutritious. Cooking is extremely time consuming and requires a lot of planning. Finding time to make food between your classes, extracurricular activities, and homework is challenging but not impossible. Still, ready your stomach for a semester’s diet of granola bars and bagels.
Cleaning is a chore that nobody wants to do
You are most likely going to have roommates while living on your own during school. This means double or triple the mess in your lodgings than you’re used to. Although most people like living in a clean environment, 99% of people—especially students—do not want to do the cleaning. Simple tasks such as taking out the garbage or vacuuming are performed as rarely as possible. So when you go home for Christmas, thank your parents for all the effort they make to keep the house looking half decent.
“Groceries cost how much?!”
Groceries are not cheap. A grocery bill can easily rack up to $100 and unless you eat KD and Mr. Noodles the whole year, most of your savings will go towards food. Basically, anything fresh such as meat, fruits, and veggies doesn’t last long but still cost the most.
You never thought you’d be so homesick
I was so anxious to leave my high school to start a fresh new life in the city so missing home is something I never anticipated. You appreciate what your nest had to offer when you move away. Even though my family can really drive me crazy sometimes, I find myself missing their company and my hometown every so often. Don’t take the little things back home for granted.
“What even are responsibilities?”
All my life I had my mom make appointments for me as I am sure you did too. Well, sorry to say this but when you get to uni all responsibility is up to you. You are now in full control of your life and that means making appointments, finding the destination, and arriving on time is now on your shoulders. You don’t have your mom or dad there anymore to guide you.
Brace yourself for the realization of how expensive everything is
Everything costs money. On top of tuition and rent, anything you want to do outside your apartment will cause your bank account to come crashing down. Living in a city can be really exciting and eventful, but the reality is that nothing is free. The expenses of going out adds up quickly without your realizing. If you want to keep your piggy bank intact, stay away from the mall and your favorite restaurants and indulge only in moderation.
Friends become your family
Learning to live on your own can be tough at times—it is a chapter of your youth that is full of ups and downs. Friends are a huge part of making the transition easier. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice from friends because we all need a little help sometimes. Everyone is in the same boat as you so you might as well row it together.
Life has never been better
Although living on your own comes with a lot of learning and growing, freedom is the greatest reward from all these hardships. You no longer have to stress about having the house clean for your parents or being quiet when you come home from a night out. This is the time you can really develop your independence and try new things. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because the best memories and friends come from the unexpected.