At 24, I’m not exactly completely happy still living in my parents’ house. I’ve probably watched too many American TV shows of people sharing apartments with friends and being independent. That, I suppose, is the norm in the US, right? People move out quite young. And I want to move out.
My brother and I were just talking earlier this morning about wanting to own a condo unit someday. Closer to the city, more accessible to school or work. I won’t even try to describe the kind of traffic we have where I live because it’s nothing short of terrible. It would be great if I don’t have to wake up way to early just to avoid the rush hour. The rule is, if at 6AM you’re still not on the road, don’t even expect you’ll get anywhere in time.
More than the travel though, it’s the personal space. I can eat whatever the hell I want. Stay up as late as I want. Wake up as late as I want. My internet connection is mine alone. I can manage my time better (assuming) because I don’t have to mind other people that used to live with me. My mess is mine and if my place starts smelling like a dumpster, I can only blame myself. Nobody will move my stuff aside from me. So much quiet and peacefulness, I just can’t wait. Plus so many other things.
There are downsides, of course. I wasn’t born rich. We used to be an average family financially, but times have changed. I am a nurse (which I consider now a regret more than anything) and unemployed (not by choice, by the way), my brother is in college, my dad has retired, my mom is now the only person working, my grandfather who was in an accident now lives with us.
There are other people with parents who pay for their own place. I’d love that, I really would. Unfortunately I am not that lucky. But if I wanted my own place, I’d have to be earning a lot to be able to pay for it. I don’t want to rent. I want to pay for a place that I will someday own. I’d have to pay my own bills, do my own laundry (this I don’t mind, I like doing my own laundry), buy and cook my food (this I don’t mind as well, only I tend to become lazy from time to time), among other things.But all these can be learned right? It’s not that hard. It can’t be that hard. At least for me who was trained with household chores.
I want the freedom I can get from staying in my own place. Live by my own rules. If it doesn’t work for me, whatever, I’ll make it work. I would have to live out on my own someday anyway. I don’t want to wait until I get married before I started moving out. There’s so much more I can do, I know it. It’s never too early to learn living life.
And I just know the first step to getting there. (Unfortunately for me, the first step is always the hardest).
happy disposition 