As graduation rolls around the corner, many of you are probably considering where youll go next. Will you go away to college or University, will you find a job and choose to take it easy for a year, or will you plan the longest party of your life. With all of these options one thing ties them together. Moving out of your parents house. Probably, for the last two years youve been telling yourself and your parents that as soon as you graduate your out of here. Well before you make your decision concrete, let me share with you some advise, and give you a reality check on what Moving Out is really all about.
When I first graduated from high school, like you, I was free. I felt I had the whole world on top of my shoulders and I was going to take it on. My plan was to work for a year and save enough money so I could rent a place on my own. And I did. This is where the problems began, and reality slapped me in the face. For starters, when I lived at home I was able to save some money. Now I find myself living paycheck to paycheck, praying I will have enough at each month to pay the bills. Speaking of bills thats all Ive been doing lately, writing cheque after cheque.
At home there wasnt one bill I had to worry about. My rent was free, I got away with most long distance phone calls, and I had cupboards stacked of healthy food. What I would give to see that again! And as far as my fridge goes, I might as well save on electricity and buy myself a cooler. My phone bill hasnt even been opened yet due to the thickness of the envelope, and as far as my rent goes, well, lets just say I have a really sweet landlord. My social life is another story. At least twice a week I was able to get together with my friends. We would go for lunch, shop, or even out for a late night coffee. Now, because Im on such a tight budget, I cant afford to be going out like I used to. I now need to prioritize my money in order to survive. It just seemed so easy back home that I thought I would have no problem moving out on my own. Yet, I now realize thats exactly it, Im on my own.
My home is also not very entertaining, I find I barely have any one coming over anymore. At my parents home the door was always open to company. Everyone always felt welcomed. In my home, it is so cramped that my friends gave up coming over here. So in the end I find myself alone and depressed with no one around to communicate with. This can be very frustrating when youre on the twenty-dollar a month plan, and you have to wait until after 6:00pm to call someone. The one thing I do miss and now realize I took advantage of, was the lifestyle in which I was accustomed to. Everything from washing by hand compared to the dishwasher back home, and the three dollars you have to put into the washing machine and dryer compared to the free laundry I used to be able to do.
Even my health and fitness is beginning to disintegrate. I would always try to make it to the gym at least three times a week in order to stay fit mentally and physically. Now since my lifestyle has changed so dramatically, I find myself broke and exhausted at the end of the day with no money or energy left. So in conclusion, my advice to the graduate is simple, Stay home! Experience life as a young adult stress free. Consider living at home, working part time while going to school, and respect the fact that life at home isnt so bad after all. Besides, where else do you find free rent?
