There is something to be said about spending quality time by yourself. Every woman should experience living alone at least once in their lifetime. The preferred time? Right now.
No time is better than the present. A young woman experiencing the wild world of work, college, friends, foes. Right now is a time of learning. Living alone has so much self-discovery to come with it. Yes, there can be moments of loneliness. But every person should learn to fine reasons to love being alone. Following is a list of things you can do living alone that living with roommates just...doesn't allow:
1. Being naked.
I can't even tell you how much of my time in my house is either spent naked or in just my bathrobe and favorite slippies. There is something so freeing about cooking your eggs with no fabric limiting you from dancing and cooking (except be careful while wearing the bathrobe if you have a gas stove).
2. Volume control.
When it comes to listening to your gansta rap at 10am while making your brunch, the limit on the volume does not exist. Depending on your house situation, you can blast that speaker all morning and well into the night.
3. No need to feel ashamed.
There is no need to feel ashamed about the weird shows you binge watch for an embarrassing amount of time. You can proudly walk around with your iPad watching Shameless for four hours and feel, well, shameless.
4. Decorations are all yours.
For as long as I can remember, I have been excited about decorating my own house. Now I finally can and let me tell you, it is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am so happy I can have my plants in my dining room and my John Lennon canvas in my living room. The decorations are completely up to me and it is a wonderful, homey feeling.
5. Everything belongs to you.
There is no need to worry about having friends over and they mindlessly break one of your roommates wine glasses. It will only be your wine glass, and let's be real, you bought it for $1.50 at T.J.Maxx. You have a sense of belonging as soon as you walk in the door. The kitchen utensils are all yours. The toilet paper is all yours. ALL THE FOOD IN THE FRIDGE IS NOW YOURS. Which leads me to my next point...
6. No arguments about food.
Left-over Chinese always being stolen? Easy solution. Either deal with roommates stealing your food, or live on your own. The food will always be there the next day. And the next. Oh, wait, and the next. By the way, don't forget about the food you have in your fridge. Learn portion control (meal prepping for one is not that easy).
7. No schedule clashes.
THE SHOWER IS YOURS WHENEVER YOU WANT IT, FRIENDS! If you feel like you need a two hour long soak in the bathtub? Go for it. The freedom to bathe for hours is all yours. No need to worry about who is leaving at what time, when to not disturb, when they are studying, etc. The only person who lives there is your own self, so make sure you keep on top of your own schedule!
8. You learn so much.
You learn how to maintain a home, plain and simple. You begin to learn what it takes to do daily cleaning, inventory of food/materials, keep a house/apartment in one piece. You learn to not leave the gas stove on (uhoh), turn the heat down if you're going to be gone for longer than a day, what to do with a leaky sink (or who to call), and just how to keep it all together. Because you are fully able to.
9. Valuable experience.
The experience of spending time by yourself is invaluable. Yes, it is a great time being out with friends and going to work, etc. But there is something to be said about solidarity. You are much more willing to focus and get work done while spending time alone. You learn more about yourself than you ever thought you would. And then for the rest of your life, you have the bragging right that you were able to maintain a home all by yourself. Because you are an independent woman who don't need NOBODY.
(yes I had to use that quote at least once).
10. Peace and quiet.
It is more than possible to sit on your favorite chair on a Sunday morning and not have to worry about anyone else in your entire house. It is just your, your soul-saving book, your more-than-comfortable chair, and your favorite cup of coffee. No interruptions. Just you-time.
Living alone has so much self-discovery to come with it. Yes, there can be moments of loneliness. But every person should learn to love being alone. That loneliness can yield some of our greatest ideas. We can really have time to find our passions and new favorite hobbies. These times of loneliness and boredom can allow for true self-discovery. Let yourself be alone and bored. You never know how great you can really be.
