Every year at some point during the spring semester, the rush to figure out who your roommate will be for the upcoming year is on. Whether you are planning on living in the dorms or in housing off-campus, most people hold it to top priority to find at least one other person to share their dwelling with. This past year, I decided to throw caution to the wind and rent an apartment for just me, myself, and I for my final year of my undergraduate studies. I was nervous at first, but have come to discover that it was the best decision I could have made. Here's why:
1) You can decorate the place however you so please.
I got to choose everything about the decor of my apartment, from the living room rug to the color of the hand towels in my bathroom. It's a very freeing and independent feeling to be able to create the mood of the space in which you live. I didn't have to worry about whether or not my roommate would like the chocolate brown furniture that I chose, or worry about putting up too many pictures of my friends and family members. Now, I have a place that really feels more like "home" than any college housing has in the past.
2) You don't have to fight over the temperature of the thermostat.
I can keep it as chilly or as toasty as I please without being worried that another person is too warm or too cold. I prefer cold with about thirty-seven blankets and by golly, I will have it that way.
3) You can sing as loudly as you want in the shower.
Everyone knows that the acoustics in the shower are the best ever, and now I no longer have to worry about busting anyone's eardrum with a little Beyonce while washing my hair. I get to have personal concerts without turning down the volume on my body-wash-microphone.
4) You get to cook whatever you want for dinner, whenever you want.
Gone are the days of coordinating different cooking times because you and your roommate have different tastes and prefer different kinds of foods. I can come home and use the stove whenever I please, I can cook any meal I please, and I will always have leftovers to eat the next day. (Leftovers- which will never be eaten by anyone except for me.) It's a beautiful thing.
5) It gives you the option whether you want to be social or not.
As an extroverted introvert, I of course like spending time with my friends and hanging out, but I also supremely appreciate my alone time, and living alone gives me the choice of whether or not I want to spend all my time with another person. It's refreshing.
6) You never actually HAVE to wear pants.
This doesn't need an explanation, the comfort level exceeds description.
7) Peace and quiet.
You have silence to do your homework. You don't have to listen to anyone else's music or their television shows, and don't have to be woken up in the morning by someone rustling around getting ready for class. You can decide what noises occur when. The independence and decision making that living alone allows is the best.
