14 Things Living Alone Will Teach You
Sure, living with friends, family, or even a really awesome roommate is great and all, but nothing beats living alone. Seriously! There's nothing like coming home after a long day and being able to chill in your own space. Everything is where you left it from earlier, and you don't have to worry about coming home to a mess you didn't make. But besides knowing what you will and won't come home to, there are so many other benefits to living alone. You learn more about yourself and what you're capable of doing by yourself, which is a prize in itself. Who wants to always depend on everyone else to get the job done? But that's only the beginning. There are so many other positives you'll encounter when you're living solo. Don't believe it? Well, here are 14 things living alone will teach you.
14 You'll Sleep Like A Baby
Okay, sure it's nice to have a bed buddy now and then, but sleeping alone really allows you to get in touch with your natural sleep pattern. Are you an early riser? Do you prefer going to bed early and sleeping in late? Is sleeping on your back - while snoring like a bear - the only way you can get a perfect eight hours? Well, these are the things you will find out when you get to sleep alone at night. That, and you'll be able to sleep like a baby. Without having someone tossing and turning - and snoring in your ear! - you'll be able to get a blissful rest, then wake up feeling great the next day.
13 Learn How Much You Hate Sharing
So when you go out with your posse you might not mind sharing the fried calamari plate, but when it comes to your personal space, you ain't looking to give that up. Having your own home will really make you realize how much you hate sharing it with others, unless they are truly welcome. Remember those days when you were stuck in a college dorm with that weird roommate who was obsessed with a voodoo doll? Well, now that you are living alone, it becomes even clearer how you never want someone like that in your living space again. And the good thing is, you won't have to.
12 Decode Your Personal Style
Nothing like getting your own pad to really let your inner interior decorator show. Instead of compromising with your friends or significant other, you can now decorate the space exactly how you want. And it's so much fun picking out items for the home, no matter how small the space. You can get mismatched furniture and rearrange them the way you want without anyone else telling you otherwise. Who cares that the small dining room table doesn't face the TV. Maybe you don't want to watch it while you're pigging down on the Chinese food you ordered for yourself.
11 You'll See How Much Trash You Accumulate
You think because you live alone you won't have an overflowing trash can, but think again. It's amazing how much trash we accumulate on our own. One day, you'll be throwing something out and ask yourself, “didn't I just change the garbage bag?” And you know what? You probably did. But you toss away a lot of crap. We mean a lot. So this is a great way to see just how much stuff you throw out and when. Do you use only half of something before you toss it? Do you keep your leftovers way too long which causes them to stink up your garbage? You'll be surprised what your trash will tell you.
10 To Kill Bugs On Your Own
Nobody likes to do it, but when you live on your own you get used to killing those creepy crawly things by yourself. Yes, we know. So gross! But, how badass will you feel after you squash that black, hairy spider on your own? Living alone will allow you to test your limits and be sure to help conquer some paralyzing fears, especially when it comes to killing those nasty roaches - or hiring a professional to do it yourself. Regardless, you'll be able to learn how to get the job done right so you're not relying on someone else to squash your fears.
9 Entertaining Yourself Is Easy
When you're around people you have to consider their feelings and preferences. And entertaining can be a chore. Do they like this type of wine? Do they want to eat fish or meat? Will they want to go out or stay in? Forget all those silly questions, because when it's only you that needs to be entertained, things are much more simple. You can sit in your pjs all night and watch a Scandal marathon while devouring chocolate chip cookies and be happy. Living alone will allow you to do what you want and enjoy every minute of it.
8 You're Not As Lonely As You Thought
You might have held off living alone because you thought it would get too lonely. And it makes sense. You lived with a lot of people over the years: family, friends, roommates, significant others. Of course, you'd be afraid to live all by your lonesome. However, once you take the plunge in solitary living, you'll find it's not half as lonely as you thought it would be. Actually, being home alone is kind of nice. You can come and go as you please without checking in with anyone, and there's always food stocked in your fridge after you go shopping. Lonely? Who's lonely?
7 You Can Get Wild… Or Not
In your own home, you can be as loud as you want without a roommate complaining. So that means, you can take home that cute guy you met at the bar and have crazy, loud sex with him without worrying about waking someone in the other room - um, like mom and dad. Ew. The same thing goes for quiet time. You might want to zone out for a bit and get lost in complete silence. Who doesn't? And when you have your own space, you can do that without getting interrupted by someone asking: what the hell are you doing?
6 Understand Your Eating Habits
When you don't have anyone else to cook for, you'll be able to make the things you really enjoy. And by doing this, you can see what exactly are the things you love to eat and cook. Are you a peanut butter fan that needs to put it on everything from crackers to ice cream? Do you snack standing up watching TV? Do you set the table with a candle in the center when you cook yourself dinner? You'll find all sorts of things out about your eating habits when you live alone and only have to focus on feeding yourself.
5 Worry Only About Your Needs
After a long day at work, there's nothing better than coming home to a cozy, quiet home. You can walk through the door and not have to worry about anyone asking you what you want to eat for dinner or why you've been crying on the car ride home - uh, 'cause work sucks, obviously! In your own space, you can be as selfish as you want and need. There's no one else there that you have to worry about caring to. No one complains you're being distant or yelling about your shoes left in the hallway. No one there to tell you there's a fancy dinner you have to attend when all you want to do is pig out on pasta in front of the TV.
4 Get A Sense Of Independence
When you are living solo, you are seriously one independent lady. You can do whatever you please and whenever you want. Living alone allows you to learn what you are capable of doing on your own and what you prefer to do when people are around - like playing Taboo. No one likes to play Taboo alone. You can clean up when you want to or slack on it if you've had a hard week. No one is there to judge or point out what you should be doing. You are your own woman, your own destiny and living alone really helps make that shine.
3 Learn To Depend On Yourself
Now that you're on your own, you make the rules and learn to depend on yourself much more than when you had others living with you. While you might be able to divide up rent, bills and groceries with your roommate, when you live alone it's all on you. This is a great way to learn how to do everything by yourself without depending on someone else coming to the rescue. You have all the power here. You can determine what you need and don't need. And nothing brings out more confidence and self respect than a woman being able to pay her own bills and buy her own groceries.
2 Learn How To Take Care Of Yourself When You're Sick
Okay, being sick sucks. And to be sick without mom's comfort food sucks ten times more, but you learn how to deal when you live alone. You learn which medicines to take, which vitamins help fight off a virus, and which foods will help get you back on your feet. The best thing is, you won't have anyone there judging you and your runny nose. When a cold comes on, you can totally let yourself go without worrying about your roommate spraying Lysol around you like you have the plague. Plus, getting over the stomach flu on your own totally makes you feel like you can conquer just about anything.
1 You Can Now Deal With Just About Anyone
Just because you live on your own, doesn't mean you won't be dealing with people. You know, that creepster neighbor down the hall that asked you out. Or that dirty exterminator that came over when the roaches invaded your home. Oh yeah, there's plenty of people you'll encounter living on your own. But there's good news. By dealing with these people by yourself, you grow a tolerance for others. So the next time that annoying neighbor with the loud rap music starts up again, you'll feel confident enough to march over there and tell him where to stick that booming base - or maybe just ask him nicely to turn it down.