It is my first time living alone in my own apartment, and let me tell you… I love it. My inner weirdo comes out every night. I can loudly sing in the shower (and in any room), cook whatever I want while pretending I am Ina Garten on Food Network, or have emotional ice cream-filled movie nights by myself like in Bridget Jones’s Diary. With that being said, I have learned many things. Here are 5 of them:
1. You have to be self-sufficient.
Since you are all by yourself, you are responsible for everything that regarding you and your environment. You have to cook, you have to clean, and you have to make sure you wake up. Last year, I set my alarm but I was fortunate enough to rely on my roommate as well because she always had classes before me and her loud alarm woke me up every single day. Now, I have to set twice as many alarms to get me out of bed. I also make sure I clean every part of my apartment because I hate the possibility that bugs can creep in. The responsibility of having your own place comes with the responsibility of caring for it. It doesn’t care for itself!
2. You have to cook.
Since you can no longer access the dining hall and opportunities for free food, you have to become a master chef, or at least be able to make edible food. It may be tempting to constantly order take-out, but the expenses add up. I now only cook at home and enjoy the process, I use it as my time to decompress from the day. Living alone has also forced me to realize what I put in my body and actually has improved my diet. I can now also make an AMAZING Bolognese sauce.
3. It is expensive.
With the essentials food, cleaning supplies, laundry, furniture, and other basic necessities, the cost adds up. Not to mention, the actual rent and expenses for water and gas. When I first moved in, I was so excited to decorate my apartment but I severely underestimated how expensive it would be. Now, I budget myself. I set aside money for food and things I need to buy. If I have left over funds for that week, the money goes to my “things I want” fund. My mom and past shopaholic-self would be so proud.
4. It can get lonely.
Since you are by yourself in your new humble abode, you do not have the luxury living in the same building as your friends or being a few steps away from them, unless your building is on-campus. Now you have to make a continuous effort to see your friends, because it becomes tempting to stay curled up in your apartment since you cannot join them in places like the dining hall or on-campus residences without being signed it, which can get annoying. But if you make an effort, you will have a social life!
5. You discover who you are.
Since living alone, I had time for a lot of self-reflection. It’s nice to come home after long days of classes to relax in your own space and let your mind decompress. Due to this complete freedom I am discovering what I like, what I don’t like, what I want, and what is worth my time.