This year, I moved into a single dorm room, which marked quite a momentous moment in my life: officially living alone for the first time. Last year, I lived in a triple dorm room, and the year before that, well, I lived with my parents (and obviously still do when I go home for breaks). But, this year’s living arrangement still shook things up quite a bit for me. How? You may ask. Well, allow me to explain just how things might change if you were/are in my situation:
1. ‘Letting yourself go’ gains a whole new meaning.
There’s no one around to monitor your every single move. Hygiene? What’s that? If you only shower once a week, who’s going to know? No one. Except, maybe that guy who sits next to you in your crowded lecture and definitely gets a whiff of your week-old stench every now and then. I’m not saying don’t shower, but if you pass out on your homework and wake up late for your 8am the next morning, no one’s going to shame you for skipping your wash and scrub routine.
2. You’ll reach the highest tiers of ~*responsibility.*~
Having no parents, siblings, or roommates around not only means there’s no one to watch over you to make sure you’re still showering, but you also have no one to fall back on anymore. If you run out of shampoo mid-shower, there’s no one to call on to be your savior. If you’re hungry and craving a midnight snack but you’re out of Pringles, there’s no one’s food stash you can raid. If you’re having friends over, there’s no one to blame your mess on. For example, “Sorry my room’s such a dump right now! It was my roommate’s turn to vacuum” isn’t going to work. So, if you don’t know how to vacuum, you’re about to learn real quick. Plus, when someone points to a poster in your room that they don’t like or understand but it’s yours, you can’t lie and say, “Oh. I know, right? That’s my roommate’s.” Overall, you’ll learn to take responsibility for your actions, from cleanliness to room decor. Get ready to defend your decisions to no end.
3. Your roof. Your rules.
Got a paper due in the morning? Stay up as long as you want. Fell asleep writing that exact paper and now you’re up at 5 in the morning trying to finish it? That’s cool too because lights out is a thing of the past. Basically, your room is your safe haven, and you can have it as quiet and peaceful or as loud and booming as you want it to be. Eat what you want, do what you want, play what you want, etc. whenever you want.
4. Let freedom ring.
To put it simply, it’s like your parents have gone on permanent vacation.
5. You’ll have to learn to be independent.
Living alone for the first time in your life can be a bit scary. Whenever you leave the room, you no longer have someone to look to for company and solace. There’s no one to ask to get lunch, walk to the gym, or walk to class with you. You don’t have someone to come home to and chat about your day with and unwind. A lot of people think being alone is a bad thing, but it’s completely normal and very healthy for us all. When you live without a roommate, you learn what it’s like to be alone and how to enjoy the moments of silence that only living alone can grant you with. Eventually, you will not only become comfortable with the solitude, but you will truly come to enjoy it.
6. No shirt, no shoes, no problem.
This one doesn’t really need an explanation.
Living alone is like fighting for the remote with your best friend. It doesn’t happen because you’re living with your perfect match; yourself. No one to awkwardly walk in on your solo dance parties. No one to fight you to play their music in the room. No one to judge you for eating candy for dinner the third night in a row. No one to complain that you stay up too late and wake up too early.
Oh…
And you’ll never be sexiled ever again.
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