As you begin selecting roommates, searching for the right housing and filling out property applications for the next year, life can get pretty stressful. Maybe you and your roommate-elect are two peas in a pod, and you think everything will be perfect; maybe you are reluctant to find and share an apartment with someone. I’m here to let you know that it’s OK if you decide to live alone.
Although it may seem as the least popular living choice you have, like any living situation, living solo has its pros and cons. In case you missed my piece in the last Moving Guide supplement, you should know that I had quite the nightmare last year sharing a three-bedroom apartment, which is precisely why I selected a year on my own this year.
First of all, let’s check out the positives of living alone.
Without doubt, the best aspect of living alone is that you don’t have to depend on anyone but yourself. When it comes time to pay bills, clean the dishes or empty the trash, you won’t have to nag anyone into owning up to their responsibilities. If you want something done, you won’t have to pull teeth; you’re the only person you have to answer to. Likewise, you don’t have to be bothered by roommates nagging you. If your place is messy, and it doesn’t bother you, then you have no responsibility to anyone but yourself in cleaning it up. I know this sounds like a greedy and selfish way to go about your living situation, but in all honesty, if you don’t want to rely on someone else, then you shouldn’t have to.
Also consider the total and complete freedom you can have if you choose to live alone. Whatever you want to watch on TV, you get to watch. If you want to be loud at
1 a.m. during Dead Week, you can be. If you’re slightly obsessive-compulsive, like me, then you can have all your little preferences just the way you like them. The beauty of living alone is that you can do whatever you want, whenever, without the approval ofa roommate.
Hand-in-hand with that, just consider the luscious space you’ll have in an apartment all to yourself. Some of the one bedrooms around campus are pretty huge, and if you’ve lived in the dorms, a little extra space can go a long way in your comfort. And because my sophomore year apartment was essentially a three-bedroom dorm with a tiny kitchen, the extra space makes me a very happy camper.
But all right, I’ll concede that living alone does have its negative traits too. One of the most glaring cons of living alone is the cost; it can be super spendy to live alone. Although last year’s living situation left me unfulfilled, it was considerably cheaper; I pay double the amount I did last year to have a one-bedroom all to myself.
Additionally, utilities go up in price too when you don’t have anyone to split them with. I chose not to get cable TV this year simply because my budget couldn’t handle the cost of an additional $30 per month. When debating the cost of living alone, you must consider how much you value your privacy and freedom because that’s basically where that extra money goes.
Aside from the fiscal aspect of living sans-roommate, regrettably, life can get lonely at times. Having the simple joy of talking about your day, sharing a meal or watching a game with someone is somewhat lost. If partying every weekend just isn’t your thing, social interactions outside of campus life can get pretty scarce, especially during the winter.
So, depending on what you value, and what you want out of a living situation, living alone might be the right choice for you. I’m happy with my decision to do so, and it’s been a great experience, but for the record, I plan on testing the roommate life again next year.
Kamran Rouzpay is a junior at the University.