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Unexpected Aspects of Living Independently?

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Parsely:
Hey y'all!

I'm a student and a part time worker, moving into my first apartment next Friday with a roommate. I'm very excited and optimistic, looking forward to having more privacy and choice, I feel ready for this.

I thought I would ask though, what are some things that you didn't expect about living independently for the first time? Practical or otherwise, I'd be interested to hear what people's (hopefully positive) experience has been.

Khan Boyzitbig:
I found that I spent far more free time going for a walk outside then before. And that I became far less nocturnal. As a result I encountered wildlife that I had never seen before (and some that are incredibly rare). That and I started cooking a lot more and experimenting with methods of cooking. Surprisingly low costs to feed myself too.

Though I did miss my family the first few days quite badly.

Baffler:

--- Quote from: Parsely on April 07, 2018, 10:01:29 pm ---Hey y'all!

I'm a student and a part time worker, moving into my first apartment next Friday with a roommate. I'm very excited and optimistic, looking forward to having more privacy and choice, I feel ready for this.

I thought I would ask though, what are some things that you didn't expect about living independently for the first time? Practical or otherwise, I'd be interested to hear what people's (hopefully positive) experience has been.

--- End quote ---

The biggest surprise for me was just how much it costs to have more than the bare necessities. If your job pays like mine, and your rent and utilities come out like mine, it'll be a very slow game of accumulation.

As an example, furniture. I personally didn't really notice furniture all that much before I moved out. Luckily I had relatives with spare stuff lying around, so I got a cheap bedframe to go with the mattress I bought, a plastic folding cardtable with chairs plus a table cloth, and a bunch of surprisingly versatile wicker baskets to start off - which is a damn sight more than the singular mattress my parents started off with, heh. Since then I've acquired a desk for my room and a standing shelf for the kitchen, and I didn't buy those, I built them with hand tools out of a few pallets (in surprisingly good shape) I got for literal pocket change from a local scrapyard a few months after I moved in. They're good looking, but they were a lot of work and I would've had to save for a month or two each otherwise, even if I bought them very cheaply. There is nothing else in the house besides my roommate's bed and IKEA desk, plus the fridge, sink, small counter, stove, and bathroom fixtures the place came with, so the place looks really barren even though it's quite small. Food is another thing. Like Boyzitbig I honestly take a lot of joy in cooking (and have gotten quite good at getting the most out of a very limited inventory of ingredients too, heh) but again if your experience is like mine things that you probably don't really notice now will probably either fall by the wayside entirely, or become luxuries in the name of saving money. I do meal planning now, and I highly recommend you do something like that too, but when I first started shopping for myself I had a tendency to go in and either spend too much or buy too little, causing much hardship. I also rarely ate out before, so I didn't miss it too much, but even going to someplace McDonalds tier is for me a rare treat, and I never bother even with that unless I'm going with friends. Not drinking or smoking helped as well.

Other smaller things surprised me too, like exactly how much my gas bill went up when it came time to turn the heat on, but those two things above are what mainly stand out in my mind. It was kinda rough at first but after a dedicated week or two of squaring my shit away I've been thoroughly enjoying living independently, and even small advancements like my pallet furniture or the rug from the thrift store I got and cleaned up like new are extremely satisfying. I seriously can't wait until graduate and actually have disposable income. I'm probably not really selling it all that well, but it's probably the best thing that ever happened to me, and I hope it goes as well (or better) for you.

nenjin:
Yes, the sticker shock of all your combined utilities takes getting used to. I agree that furnishings are also something you don't realize you need until you don't have it. Towels, plates, silverware, kitchen utensils, and the dozens and dozens of small items that makes up a fully stocked house. Get stuff a little bit at a time as you need it, don't try to make a list and buy it all at once.

Also get very, very used to paying attention to the state of your home. Stuff breaks and fails in a home on a regular basis and you're the only one watching out for it. Toilets, faucets, seals, electronics, door jams and door knobs. All that shit can break. Within 4 months of moving in to my apartment my bedroom door knob started to act weird. Then one day it simply wouldn't turn anymore. Took my room mate taking the door knob off from the outside before I could leave my bedroom.

Shazbot:
I learned cheap red wine and Rome Total War were an excellent combination.

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