I Have Been Living Alone For 2 Years And No One Told Me These Before

Firstly, don’t get deterred by the feature image, I don’t get that kind of salary to be able to afford such a luxurious place for living alone.

We all start our lives listening to the fact that one day we will get to be independent and make our own life decisions without having to worry about the consequences. No one tells us that all of this is a big pile of garbage. Living alone is amazing, trust me, there are no two ways about it but the process of adjusting and convincing yourself that falling sick every two days doesn’t mean you have cancer is tough.

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So, as I mention in the title of this post, I have been living along for almost 2 years now, more, if I am not wrong.

And the experience has been bittersweet.

With the excitement of living along for the first time to finding amazing ways to amp up your quaint little abode, the experiences have been amazing. But, the problem was that I didn’t start my life of independence renting a place. I started with a hostel.

Given that I have always been home till I was 22, even staying in a hostel with no withholdings seemed quite amazing in itself.

But, now that it has been two years and I have my own room in an apartment with no intrusion to my privacy, I have learnt quite a lot through this time frame.

Giving you a back story; I am from West Bengal and following my graduation had to change states because of an amazing job opportunity. I was in cloud nine because I have always wanted to live alone for life. Having my own place, decorating it just as I want and cooking my favourite food, everything seemed like a dream.

But, then reality happened.

Starting out as a fresher with a basic salary, I knew I had to make compromises with my dreams. I settled for a hostel at first. It has only been two months that I have gotten my own place and trust me; there is nothing better than that at all. Nothing in the world beats the feeling of having your own independence in YOUR own place.

So, what did I learn along the way, you ask?

Paying rent is like giving up half your salary

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Listen, I am all in for earning more and spending more. But, when as a small six year old, my mind wandered off to the aspirations of living alone, nobody told me that I would have to give up half of my salary in rent.

Additionally, if you want to find a safe and secure space, just forget your salary, take your belongings and stay in the temple around. I don’t think it’d cost you anything there. But, this brings me to the important “adult mode” of discussion.

Why is the rent increasing with every passing year?

Not only is it because of the increasing demand of the real estate, it is also because of the mindset of the landlords. You will often find that the rent for family and bachelor’s vary, families being a little less. People have this notion that giving the place out to a family ensures security.

So, what are the bachelors supposed to do? Marry someone just to get a place to live in?

Everything comes down to cancer

As weird and laughable it might sound like, it is true. I am someone who hates doctor visits. I’ll take it till its too serious to ignore to visit the doctor.

Now that I am away from home and away from my family, I have this weird obsession of falling sick every two days. Well, the weather is to blame but the problem is that every time I fall sick, I have this weird obsession into thinking that whatever it is with my body, it is something chronic and critical. Predominantly, cancer is the answer my mind comes back with but sometimes, I keep it a little less critical too.

So, why it is constant and weird fixation with getting scared every time you fall sick? With so much as 2 years of experience, I have come to the conclusion that it has got to do with the lack of physical empathy that you get from your parents.

No wonder, I sometimes rush to the doctor even with the weirdest of reasons and complaints.

Food seems like a luxury now

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Well, I regret ever saying to my mom that I don’t want to eat this because it doesn’t taste good. It is true when people say that you understand the true value of something when you lose it.

HOME COOKED FOOD.

Stay in a hostel for one and a half years and you will know the pain that I have experienced and did bear through that time. People running the hostels know only two vegetables – one that’s cheap and the one that’s about to be spoilt.

With so many options of vegetables that you get, you are often confused and in a dilemma of what to eat. (That was sarcasm, for people who didn’t get it).

Nobody warned me that living along isn’t going to be the best in terms of the food that I eat. Imagine my delusional 22 year old jumping around in the house before relocating for the job thinking that I’ll get to live the best of my life and eat whatever I want?

Thrown back into reality, I have this need to save money and also eat good food. In such a situation, you need to make compromises and I mean, A LOT OF THEM.

I have lived two years of my life away from home and I have learnt a lot and grown a lot through the process.

But, concluding it all, for every kid who reads this, it is necessary for them to know that living alone for the first time or just living alone is completely different from our fantasies. It is okay to be excited but ensure that you live in the real world.

Starting out with the first job isn’t going to find you your dream house to rent.

Living alone won’t make you your favourite chef

You’ll understand what growing up and maturing is

You’ll get the satisfying feeling when supporting your parents

It is not rainbows and unicorns, rather quite the opposite.

I would have loved if someone told me this when I started out with my dreams of exploring a new place after graduating. But, it’s okay; it is not that bad, learning things the hard way.