Living by Myself???

[gromit]

My lease runs out on Sept 1st and both of my roommates have already arranged for next year's living situation. I can take a room in a friend's apartment for a little bit more rent, or, I am considering getting a studio apartment. It would be quite a bit more expensive, but I can probably afford it.

I'm a little nervous about living by myself though. I've never done it before, and it could be bad in terms of loneliness, accidentally locking myself out, etc.


Anybody live by themselves? Advice?

 

[miss fortune]

I lived by myself for 2 years and enjoyed it... though I would suggest that it would also be the perfect time to get a pet

It gives you a nice opportunity to learn to fend for yourself and things of that sort... and you can always invite people over (a few friends were constantly at my place my last year of college )

 

[Lux]

I live alone, and I honestly like it. I am also in a brand new town so I don't know anyone yet. I feel that if I had I people I knew here, I would love to live alone.

So, since you will have friends around, I think it could be the best of both worlds. It is a good thing to try at least once in your life. Good luck.

 

[prplchknz]

I don't like being by myself, i was for 3 months and hated it, i like having someone around to shoot the shit with. I tend to isolate myself, which=depression then eventually=suicidal, so i need someone to keep me from locking myself in my room all day. I'm sure this isn't helping. Some people love living by themselves, i don't.

 

[Salt n' pepper]

LOVE living by myself. Done it for 3 years. Then moved in with bf for 2 years, then went back to living by myself, still am. Going on 1 year.

Pros:
- freedom
- practicing your independence
- learning to take more responsibility for yourself
- and the no pants zone, WHENEVER, WHEREVER YOU WANT

Cons:
- gets lonely sometimes, esp if you're used to having people around you
- the chores, all yours
- rent and other financial stuff you used to split

But I tell you, nothing to be scared of. It will help you grow.

 

[gromit]

I lived by myself for 2 years and enjoyed it... though I would suggest that it would also be the perfect time to get a pet

It gives you a nice opportunity to learn to fend for yourself and things of that sort... and you can always invite people over (a few friends were constantly at my place my last year of college )

Yeah that is a true/good point about inviting people over. I think I'm primarily concerned about the wintertime, when many or most people (including/especially me) rarely leave their homes for non-necessary activities. I could possibly die from loneliness if I go for long periods of time seeing nobody but my coworkers. I guess I'll just have to make sure to do stuff and see people, even when it's really crummy out.

I live alone, and I honestly like it. I am also in a brand new town so I don't know anyone yet. I feel that if I had I people I knew here, I would love to live alone.

So, since you will have friends around, I think it could be the best of both worlds. It is a good thing to try at least once in your life. Good luck.

What do you like about it, Lux?

I don't like being by myself, i was for 3 months and hated it, i like having someone around to shoot the shit with. I tend to isolate myself, which=depression then eventually=suicidal, so i need someone to keep me from locking myself in my room all day. I'm sure this isn't helping. Some people love living by themselves, i don't.

Yeah, I don't really like being alone either. Well, sometimes I do, actually. I guess I'll just have to have home time be private time and then do everything else NOT at home (living with other people means that you can have home time be social time too).

LOVE living by myself. Done it for 3 years. Then moved in with bf for 2 years, then went back to living by myself, still am. Going on 1 year.

Pros:
- freedom
- practicing your independence
- learning to take more responsibility for yourself
- and the no pants zone, WHENEVER, WHEREVER YOU WANT

Cons:
- gets lonely sometimes, esp if you're used to having people around you
- the chores, all yours
- rent and other financial stuff you used to split

But I tell you, nothing to be scared of. It will help you grow.

No pants zone... that is a very compelling point!


Okay, maybe I'll just go through my budget and make sure this isn't crazy, and talk to some landlords/see some places. It could work. I think it could be good for me.

If it's horrible, I can switch after a year or something.

 

[Lux]

What do you like about it, Lux?

Hmm... Well, I like the fact that it is my space. It feels like me, it makes me happy, I also like the freedom of it, I guess. I think that encompasses it pretty well. I am also coming from a different situation than you are though. I think if you have friends that can and will come over or you can go to their place, it may not be such a lonely thing. I personally enjoy time alone, so this works for me, for now. I won't always want to live alone though, by any measure. When I do get bored I go out and see what I can see. To me it is nice because while it is not like this for now, it can possibly like this: You can have most of the interactions with others that you want, and you're never forced into it, because you have your own space to retreat to when you feel like it.

 

[gromit]

My sister just told me my parents are going to sell the house when the youngest daughter (16) moves out. I guess they cannot afford it any longer or something or they cannot afford to maintain it anymore, now that there isn't anyone else around to help out. That makes me really sad. Where will we go for holidays? There are a lot of us...

Maybe this should go in my blog, but I feel like it is related to this topic, like maybe I should spend the money on the house instead of on a nicer apartment... I don't think I could host Christmas or Thanksgiving for 8+ people in a studio apartment.

 

[miss fortune]

houses are nice... they give you a reminder that no matter what, you can always go home in the end

 

[Halla74]

Living on my own, by myself, at the age of 20, was the beginning of my adult life, and the genesis of me hatching into who I am today. I had to buy all my furniture, pay the deposit on my apartemnt, get the lights turned on, cable TV installed, clean the place up, decorate it, make it my own, buy some plants, adopt the stray cat outside my building, and keep the place in order.

You know what? I appreciated all my parents had done for me as a kid, as I now understood how damn hard it was.

Also, I realized that I created an environemnt that I was COMFORTABLE and HAPPY in. It was reflective of me, and supported my life's purpose.

It gave me an environment to entertain my friends. It gave me an environemtn that my wife (then classmate) and I studied in. It gave us an environment to get to know each other, without the distractions of roomates, and all their shit. Sixteen years later her and I are still together.

I'd say that apartment of mine was a good deal.

 

[figsfiggyfigs]

Living alone is the BEST thing thats ever happened to me. It's fantastic!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LucrativeSid]

I've lived alone for 5 years and I've liked it quite a bit.

I didn't graduate high school until I was 19, and around that time, I had plans to rent a house with two of my best friends. A little less than a year later, I had just turned 20 and the plans with my friends hadn't worked out. I was sick of living at home and I knew I could be free, so I got my own place.

I would say placement is very important. If you still want to hang out with people, it's a lot more likely to happen if you live 5 or 10 minutes away instead of 30 minutes away.

Have a place for extra keys.

Be careful with your budget. Living with just one person can help you cut most of the bills in half. But living alone means you're the boss!

I was fortunate enough to have lots of family and friends who gave me all kinds of things I needed to get started. My grandma bought me a microwave. People gave me used couches and TV stands and stuff like that. My boss gave me a kitchen table.

I've never had pets but loneliness isn't a problem because everyone I know is 30 minutes away or closer and I have the INTERNET!!!

 

[Katsuni]

I've been in my own place about 9 months now. It's... nice in alot of ways.

I don't have to explain myself on anything I do, I can do anything I want within the confines of the apartment, chores get done as I get annoyed enough to bother doing them, and generally it feels like 'home' still. I honestly don't feel like things are really any different than before, except I don't have anyone to complain at me.

Though... I have had a few cases where I've woken up and been absolutely SURE my father was screaming at me... only to realize I'm alone, and I haven't been near him in ages now.

I haven't had any visitors, no college friends, no roommates, etc.

The whole reason I got a solitary apartment was specifically BECAUSE I didn't want people over. Yes, it's quiet, but I have people online to talk to and keep me entertained just fine. My problem was that I did *NOT* want to get stuck with roommates who spent all night partying or drinking, drugs, or doing crap that'd get them evicted, me distracted from homework, or just making it impossible to sleep.

I'm comfortable where I am. It's nice. It's nothing special, it's low, low, low quality area, but it's home. And after this many months, I'm a little bothered to admit that I'm not even particularly concerned anymore when I hear gunshots outside any longer. Something tells me that's not the kind of thing one wants to be desensitized to, but I think it's dawning on me that I don't owe anyone any money, noone knows me, I haven't talked to ANYONE, I don't have any drugs, and my room's windows have curtains I made that noone can see the computer/hdtv and other stuffs in the room that're expencive. The living room is *BARE* as in there's a lamp on the floor and a walking stick with sentimental value in the corner, and a few bags of garbage I haven't taken out yet, otherwise it's flat out empty. I don't have the windows there covered, so I guess anyone who would consider breaking in has just looked in there and figures I don't have crap all to steal XD

Whotever works I suppose.

I'd rather have a nicer appartment, maybe a balcony or a place to put some plants... I wouldn't mind growing my own rhubarb or oregano or parsley really.

I'd like my BF to visit someday, but it's a long trip, and we're both pretty much broke at the moment, so that kinda sucks ;_;

Maybe someday though. We'll see I guess.

In any case, it's not that lonely being alone. There's alot of extra responsibility, but most of it's not too hard really. The taxes were a pain to do on my first year alone, and ended up just giving them to H&R block yay.

Anyways, good luck; it can be a bit strange at first, but it'll be "home" sooner than yeu think ^^

 

[sLiPpY]

Living on my own is awesome!

I get all the covers! All four pillows! The alarm is set for "when I feel like it."

All the yummie stuff in the kitchen is all mine!

Everything's exactly what I want; where I want; how I want.

I don't have to share my toys, or negotiate with someone else on anything I want to do.

n' best of all! It's peaceful, relaxing...no drama.

 

[foolish heart]

My lease runs out on Sept 1st and both of my roommates have already arranged for next year's living situation. I can take a room in a friend's apartment for a little bit more rent, or, I am considering getting a studio apartment. It would be quite a bit more expensive, but I can probably afford it.

I'm a little nervous about living by myself though. I've never done it before, and it could be bad in terms of loneliness, accidentally locking myself out, etc.


Anybody live by themselves? Advice?

I've lived in a wide variety of places and living arrangement and moved about 15 times in my life. IMO, the best living arrangement is an apartment with roommates who are not relatives, financially responsible, and not dead-beats as far as doing their share of chores. Houses are nice but apartments are more cost efficient and very low-maintenance in comparison, as well as more centralized location. Then, replace the doorknob to your room with a fullsized key lock and you'll have the same peace of mind as living alone with your own secured personal space. As long as you pay your rent on time and do at least your fair share of keeping the communal area clean, you're totally free to keep to yourself or hang out with your roommates and still benefit from reduced cost of living with other people. Although it's true you won't have total freedom of the communal area of the apartment, I think this is actually better because it forces you to maintain a certain standard and somehow sharing this responsibility with your roommates keeps ya from the whole depresion "letting yourself go" thing.