Moving out from your childhood home can be the best and the worst thing at the same time. It can be a bittersweet moment. When living on your own, you have to make your own decisions, curfews, and priorities. It also comes with more responsibilities.
The process of finding a new place to live is exciting, yet scary. I was so excited looking at the new housing situations I could get myself into. It was a fresh start, but I was also terrified of making the wrong decision.
I first moved out for college and I decided to go to school in a different city that was two hours away from home. The day my parents helped me move into my new apartment, I bawled my eyes out. I was upset that they had to leave and I wouldn’t be able to see them all the time like I used to. However, as I began to settle in, I started to realize all the benefits of moving out and being on my own.
A stressful factor that I hadn’t had to worry about before was paying my bills. It can be overwhelming juggling rent, WiFi, amenities like water, sewer, garbage and electricity and having a phone bill to cover. All of this was new to me. After a while, the pressure faded and it felt even more enjoyable knowing I was the sole provider for myself. I was becoming more and more independent.
Grocery shopping was another stressor I hadn’t really thought about before moving out. Being on my own meant that if I wanted to have the same living standards as I did before moving out, I had to step up my cooking and cleaning game.
Through living on my own, I’ve discovered I love that I’m in charge of how clean I want things to be.
I also discovered I really like cooking. It may not be for everyone but you do discover things about yourself that you had never realized before.
I shared my first apartment with roommates. One thing I realized that’s important is to make sure the roommates you choose are on the same page as you with household rules and boundaries. You won’t get along all the time, just as you would back home. You’ll find that not everyone is meant to be your roommate. However, you’ll find people that you click and vibe with well.
I got lucky with my first apartment because I did have an amazing roommate that helped me gain a sense of what it was like to be on my own. A benefit of living with someone else is sharing responsibilities for the household. But, my favorite part was having someone to come home to and talk about our day. Roomie lunch dates are the best and wine nights couldn’t get much better.
I now have my own studio to myself. For me, it has been the best living situation I’ve been in so far. Coming home after a long day at school or work and being able to relax is the best thing in the world. Not having to compromise is amazing. Everything is up to you! While yes, there is more responsibility that comes with living alone, there are also perks like having your own space and if it suits you — walking around naked whenever you want.
Every once in a while, I miss living at home. But when I think about how much I’ve grown as a person, I feel like it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
With that being said here’s a word of advice: don’t move out until you are ready and financially stable.
I would suggest not jumping into this head first, but rather dipping your toe into the water before diving in. Weigh all your options, get advice and take it one step at a time. There’s no hurry. Everyone is on their own timeline and remember there’s not a certain age you must have achieved specific accomplishments by.
Featured Photo via Weheartit
