It’s been seven years now since I left my hometown for studying. I was only 18 back then but my little sister was 14 when she moved out to go to her dream high school and university. In fact, all my siblings lived alone and separatedly from my parents when they were around my age. That was not only about chasing dreams but many things we’ve learned by being away from our family and we’ve developed for ourselves too. I never imagined leaving my parents even if they don’t live quite far from all my older sisters and surrounded by their grandchildren sometimes. The hardest decision I made in my last year in high school was to choose a department, university also city I wanted to go for and I guessed the hardest feeling was to be apart from my loved ones. Eventually, I should do a sacrifice for a strong reason. This is not only for my willingness but the endless supports from them that make me who I am and be in where I am now.
My intentions to state why living alone isn’t a bad idea are as follows :
- I can get to know myself better
Solo living by choice is likely to be the condition I can get to know myself better from my weakness to my strength. I can be completely present in mind and body. Also, I can learn that some mistakes can mature me mentally and emotionally. Maybe living with others would make people have their own opinion about myself but living alone has taught me to keep learning and evaluating every action, word and decision I have made.
- Living alone doesn’t mean you lose control over yourself and life
I don’t think I should use my freedom of living alone without restrictions. Perhaps, all of decisions I make for the lifestyle and the direction I want for my life is without too much influence from others but I am under my control. The idea of living alone isn’t always about losing control so you can do whatever you want but you can do whatever you can be responsible for.
- My affection for my loved ones becomes stronger and we communicate better
My parents used to be busy with their own jobs and we barely speak a lot each other. Since I moved out, they always call me anytime they want to check up on my condition and to remind me of some things regularly they always do when I was at home with them. They pay more attention to me from afar and I feel I love them more because I cannot see them physically unless on screen or once a year. We have many things to talk in comparison to when we were living under the same roof because we used to watch and know our own activities every single day.
- I’ve learned how to take care of myself on my own
For 18 years, I used to be reminded by my parents about eating and sleeping on time also they used to take care of me whenever I got sick. They are such my non stop reminder and that’s what I thought my parents wanted to make me and my siblings be discipline and using time wisely also respect someone’s time means do not come late or waste someone’s time for nothing. I used to be afraid of the rules that were made by my dad until I realized that it was his perfectionistic behaviors have benefited my life. I feel like I’m rarely sick since I am living apart from my parents because I should take care of what I eat and how I sleep to balance with the works I should do.
- Be my own manager for saving and spending because I should be financially independent at the end of the day
When I was living with my parents, they used to teach me how to save money and how to spend it on some things. My dad would always give me money whenever I achieved something. His aim was to motivate me to save the first place in every class but eventhough he didn’t give me anything I’ll always make him proud and keep his trust in me. As I’m living away from my parents, I get to manage money wisely because I should work to make money as well.
- I made new friends and received unexpected life lessons
This point is where I feel my life has changed a lot. I made friends from different backgrounds. I’m not really interested to deepen my own culture but I like learning about the other people’s culture because I am very into observing people. Though, I am bilingual by chance and everyone I met is also bilingual. I love seeing the diversity that doesn’t cause conflicts for sure. I met people with many stories from young and elderly people. I never knew if talking to strangers can give me new life lessons and it is always exciting when they treat me as if I’m already part of this town I’m currently living in.
- It is not as scary as I watched on Television when I was a kid
I used to watch many cases of murders on the screen whenever I wanted to go to school. I felt like the world out there was scary and people could be scarier to me. Yet, my view changed a lot since I came over this place I live because the people in it welcome me very well and the life here is not as bad as it seemed on the Television back then. Crime and people with bad intentions can be found everywhere for real. I only know something is good or bad until I live here and talk to people of the place in person.
- I should do everything by myself
Moving out is really tiring but I like packing and organizing stuffs also exploring new places. In the same town for seven years, I shifted from one place to another place for three times. I find my life has turned upside down because I should do everything alone from flying out from my hometown, searching for a house to rent, and bringing all stuffs by myself. I never pictured my younger self did that back then. I grew from those moments and I appreciate life more ever since.
Living alone is not a bad idea especially in my twenties. By far, I feel myself and my life has improved better. While, my mind has developed the new perspectives to the hindrances I’ve dealed with. It could be full of hesitations in every step you’d take but there’ll always be great opportunities to create precious moments you’d never regret then.
