Before uni I had never lived alone and whenever I was home alone (which was rarely), my dog was always there with me so I was never TRULY alone. Moving into a studio for uni was quite the change for me. That’s why I am sharing 10 things I learnt from it:
1. You cannot blame anyone for anything because it was all you.
Yes, even the overfilled rubbish bin and the half eaten pizza in the corner. It wasn’t an elf who magically came by for a surprise visit while you were at a lecture (even though that would be pretty cool, let’s be honest). You just can’t blame your sibling for this one.
2. Being alone can actually be really nice and relaxing.
You start to enjoy your own company and the peace and quiet. But remember even though you live alone you can always invite friends over – just because you live alone does not mean that you will be lonely!
3. It is a judgment free zone!
No one will (or can) judge you for ordering two large pizzas for yourself or for eating breakfast in your pyjamas looking like a MESS. In other words: it’s pants-optional o’clock.
4. Don’t be a stranger.
Sometimes you may get lonely, which is fine, but it is important to find your support system. It could be a parent, a sibling, a partner, a friend from uni and sometimes even a pet (I facetime my dog twice a week).
5. Often when you live alone the room isn’t spacious, which results in the fact that you have to clean A LOT.
When you know it’s your own mess there isn’t really much of a choice but to clean (both for better and for worse) or, as we did mention, there’s no judgment…just leave it.
6. You realize all the things you’ve taken for granted while living at home.
This is one of the biggest things I’ve learned. Cleaning, cooking, fixing – it’s no longer a shared chore. You start to appreciate the small things when you return home.
7. Alone time makes you philosophical.
(And it’s the most meaningless thoughts): is the s or c silent in scent?
8. You call people A LOT.
Before you know it you end up calling your entire family, your neighbour, a distant relative, customer service, you name it. It’s just nice to talk to people when you live alone.
9. You learn to budget.
It’s just something that you have to do when you move away from home regardless of whether you live with roommates or alone and it’s a good skill to learn too! When you’re not splitting bills with someone else, you learn to manage your spending yourself.
10. Fairy lights makes EVERYTHING look better.
It just happens to be the perfect source of cosy light when it’s dark out and I would preferably have them everywhere.
