Living at home suits some people, but there is something about moving out and being on your own that is liberating. For the many others like me who decided to move away from their homes, we have many responsibilities to assume that we usually didn’t at home, and I don’t mean a chore or two. The students who chose to leave the comfort of their homes and move out need to take on all responsibilities that were taken for granted at home.
Doing laundry for the first time in my life was not the way I expected to spend my second weekend at college, but I had to. After shrinking your clothes for an entire semester, you get the hang of how to do your laundry, as well as how often. Even though laziness sets in, when you don’t have any clothes left to wear, something needs to be done.
Feeding myself was something I would never over-think until I came to college. There are so many different options and choices when it comes to food, it’s ridiculous. I was used to family dinner, but now I have to decide between cooking for myself (in my nonexistent kitchen), going to one of the on-campus food vendors, or going out to eat. Life was much simpler when I would just come home and accept whatever my mom made. It is also slightly demeaning, as an adult who needs to use the microwave for 40% of his food needs. Nothing makes me feel more like an adult than eating microwavable mac and cheese.
Keeping the room clean has to be by far the hardest thing on this list. Unless you are one of those people who needs cleanliness at all times, your room will end up becoming a mess. With limited space and the always-looming feeling that you’re in a rush, dorm rooms tend to become messy. Speaking firsthand, I try to clean my room every few days, because by the time day 4 or 5 comes rolling up, my half of the room looks like a tornado hit it. This also links back to the laundry portion, because half of that dirty laundry is most likely lying around in every corner of my room.
Basically what I’m trying to say is be thankful for your parents and all they do, because life on your own isn’t easy. Also, be proud of yourself for getting this far if you are on your own. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely worth it.
