About a month ago, I moved out of my mom's house into my very own apartment. Exciting, right? At first, it was. I had been packing for months, and every day I told my mom I couldn't wait to move. I was so focused on leaving that I didn't really think of everything, and before I knew it, I was living on my own with no idea on how to be an adult.
Being on your own is not all that it's cracked up to be. Here are 8 reasons why living on your own is HARD.
1. You actually have to COOK for yourself.
Some people were taught this skill earlier in life, but me, I was never really taught. I knew basic skills, like how to boil pasta, but that was pretty much it. Ordering pizza or eating out starts to get really expensive, and I soon realized that I needed to learn how to cook, and FAST.
2. Grocery shopping is harder than your mom makes it look. And a lot more expensive than you realize.
Grocery shopping with my mom was always fun, and we were never in there for a very long time. She seemed to know where everything was and made it look effortless. Fast forward to three weeks ago when I had to go grocery shopping by myself.
I think I circled the store three separate times just to find the bagels I was looking for. How did she do it?! Not only that, but ingredients for two or three meals plus snacks was well over $100! Time to stop wasting money on things that are unnecessary and start saving for grocery shopping.
3. How do you even pay bills? And why are there so many different utilities?!
One week ago my first set of bills came in the mail, and all at the same time. I called my mom and cried. So. Much. Money.
4. When your parents can't help you, working full time is a necessity.
I've picked up many more hours at work since I moved just to be able to pay for living. And another job. Talk about stressful.
5. Cleaning.
You don't just have your room to clean anymore. You also have a kitchen, living room, dining room, and foyer. PLUS YOUR ROOM. And cleaning gets exhausting real fast.
6. Between working, cleaning, and cooking, you TREASURE sleep, and even time to sit down.
Living on your own is exhausting. After getting a whole list of things done for the day, it feels amazing to just sit down and watch some TV before going to bed and starting the whole thing over again in the morning.
7. It gets lonely.
When you're used to your family or roommate being around all the time, living on your own can get pretty lonely. I find myself calling random people just to talk.
8. You'll miss your parents.
The day I moved in I couldn't wait for everyone to leave so I could do my own thing. A few hours later, I called my dad crying because I missed him and I was scared to grow up. I still miss my parents and everything they did for me. I took it all for granted when I still lived there.
Living on your own is a great experience and everyone does it eventually, but if I could give any advice, I would say don't take your life with family for granted. Family can get annoying or irritating, but nothing compares to them, not even friends.
There are a lot of adult responsibilities that will hit you all at once when you finally move out, but in time everything will come together. Living on your own definitely has its perks, but it also has its cons.
Don't rush the few months you have left before you move. I wish I didn't. Take some time to hang out with your family, because in the end they are the most important people in your life.
Living on your own is hard, but very doable. Come into it ready to learn and you will get the hang of things very quickly!
