About two weeks ago, I moved back to Oxford, Mississippi for my sophomore year at Ole Miss. Most sophomores move off campus after freshman year, so I was so excited to be out of the dorms. After having some time to settle in and talk to my friends about how we were feeling about living alone, we came up with some thoughts we've all been having.
1. You have to pick up after yourself
Yeah, yeah I know I sound so spoiled when I say this, but it really did come as a shock to so many. I definitely clean up my room and did that in the dorms, but living in an apartment comes with so many more responsibilities than just picking up some dirty clothes. You really have to make it a point to wipe down the counters, vacuum the floors, and wash the dishes because before you know it, you could be surrounded by trash.
2. You finally get some alone time
During your freshman year, you're required to live in those shoebox dorms with another person, which can definitely get overwhelming. Don't get me wrong, it was such a great experience having a roommate, and I learned a lot; however, having your own space where you can go to escape everything comes in handy every once in a while.
3. Parking on campus is a pain
Living on campus was actually so convenient, and I definitely took it for granted. I left 15 minutes before class and still made it with time to spare, which isn't the case since moving off campus. Although there is a decent amount of parking for commuters, the lots are so inconvenient, and it tends to take a while to find a spot and walk to your class.
4. It feels more like home
Moving away from home and into college is already hard enough, but living in a small dorm with little room to do anything but sleep is beyond overwhelming. Now that I have an apartment, I've found myself feeling more comforted and really feeling like this is my home.
5. Living is expensive
I've never been the best at budgeting my money, and living in an apartment has definitely been putting those skills (or lack thereof) to the test. Having to spend money on groceries and furniture is so expensive. I never really realized how every little thing adds up until now.
6. You have to be cautious of your electric use
While living in the dorms, I could take showers for 40 minutes or 10 minutes and it didn't matter. But now, I have to make sure I'm not getting too excessive because I actually have to pay for water, air, and everything in between. Lol again, I sound spoiled, but it really is something to think about. My roommates and I always make sure to turn our lights out if we're leaving and use the natural light we have during the day.
7. Food goes bad a lot faster when you're the only one eating it
Since I lived at home for the first 18 years of my life, I was used to four people sharing everything in the fridge and pantry, and now that its just me and my roommates, I'm realizing how fast we have to eat our fruit and drink our milk before they go bad. It definitely gets more expensive too.
8. Hosting seems fun but gets overwhelming
One thing I was so excited about after moving in was hosting all of my friends for Saturday morning breakfast and random parties. Don't get me wrong, it's so fun to have everyone over, but I never realized how much work goes into having everyone over for a meal. Our dishwasher runs nonstop for two days, but it's so worth it.
9. I have to kill my own bugs
Y'all this is a big one. I used to cry when there was the tiniest little spider in my bathroom and scream until my dad came to the rescue and rolled his eyes because I was being such a baby. Well now, my dad is six hours away and can't exactly make a road trip to kill every bug I see. I've already killed two spiders, and I'm just praying there aren't anymore.
10. Every little noise is terrifying
I've always been extremely skittish about random noises coming from the house or outside, but I've always had my parents there to make me feel safe. Now, we're always sure we keep the doors locked, and when I lay in bed at night, I think about what I would do if God forbid, some creepy person came after me (I know I'm so dramatic.)
