5 Reasons Living On Your Own Will Be The Best Decision You Make

Moving out of your parents' house is a huge step toward becoming an adult. Yes, for me, it was probably one of the most, if not the most difficult decision I've had to make so far in my life. It was not only an incredibly big step for me to take, but an emotional one too.
If you asked me a year ago- two years even (just after I graduated)- whether I would consider moving out, I would have said, "No way in hell." I didn't know how to manage my bank account, let alone live on my own.

For those people who ask, "What about college, didn't that count?" I'll stop you right there. College is a fun version of adulthood with all the independence and none of the responsibilities. If you live on campus, like I did, you are in a safe bubble that provides you three meals a day and a place to live. There's a regular schedule you follow and entertainment everywhere you look. Sure, in college most people grow into the young adults they will eventually become, but it's nothing like being a fully functioning adult. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule and for that, I commend you for managing college and responsibilities at the same time.

Trying to hold down a job, pay rent, manage a budget and stay healthy all at once is a scale that takes experience to balance out. If you've learned how to do it- teach me your ways! I've only been here for a little over a month and I've already eaten soup for lunch a week straight to save money (it gets boring really quickly). Then there is the fact that I spend a lot of my afternoons alone, since I have a part-time retail job, whereas most of my friends, as well as my boyfriend have full time jobs.
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But with all that being said, there are benefits to living on your own. Here are just a few:

1. Independence: Being able to go out when you want, without having to worry about someone "expecting" you home or having to make your parents worry when you're out at all hours of the night. Having a space to call your own, is really refreshing. You can decorate it how you want, have friends over when you want and if you want to spend the entire weekend binge watching a show, no one will be there to make you feel guilty for being lazy. Or you feel guilty anyway, but less so than if you were at home.
2. Confidence: Sure you may be working a part-time job and just managing to pay all your bills, but the fact that you're figuring out how to handle it is a big step. One that you should be proud of, even if it's really damn hard. You may screw up on a scale from a little all the way to very often, but hey, at least you're trying. It will get easier the more you stick it out. Or at least I hope so. PLEASE let it get easier.
3. Self-exploration: If you're like me, having a part-time job when most of your friends have full time jobs often means a weird schedule where you're at home all day by yourself and then working nights and/or weekends when your friends are all free. We're so hardly alone with ourselves. Get to know yourself! Go out to a cafe and people watch, go to a bookstore, take a walk, go to a museum or even go to a movie by yourself. It may feel really weird and let me tell you from experience, I am super awkward when I'm hanging out by myself. But it is so good for your wellbeing and self-confidence. Learn to love yourself.
4. Variety: Part of being in a new city is discovering fun news places to go and meeting cool new people. What's so great about being on your own is that you can pick and choose where you go and who you hang out with. Getting older ("older"), I've learned how to figure out whether I'm going to mesh with someone or not, usually right away. It's nice to know that if I don't get along with one person, there are plenty of other people to meet and become friends with.
5. Priorities: When you're the one making the rules, it puts into perspective what's important in your life. This sort of goes hand in hand with the last one. If you're spending time with someone who's making you feel bad about yourself, you don't have to hang out with them. You should only surround yourself with people who love you and treat you well. Just like, if you want to go home for a weekend instead of partying with your friends, you shouldn't feel bad. Part of living on my own has taught me how important my family is to me and how much I want to balance my time between my friends, boyfriend and parents. My parents spent 24 years of their lives raising me. I owe them that much.

I'm still learning the ropes and I'm still messing up a lot, but for those you in the same place, I'm right there with you. It will be okay.