Waking in the streets, I spotted a graffiti that read Living alone makes us freer. Rather than making me gesture sourly, it put a smile on me. 

I don’t know whether you live alone or not. If alone, I don’t know what it has taught you, if it has. I don’t know whether you could agree on such a phrase written on the wall.

Taking on my experience, all I can say is that it isn’t this bad. Mind you, I differ between living alone and being a loner, in which second case I am not. 

I started on my independence as early as nineteen when I took my leave to London. At the very beginning, I lived with some others in the staff accommodation offered by the company I worked for. But finding that it was way too restrictive for a young girl who liked going out and about and liked entertaining at home, even if it was for a coffee and a chat, I left it to live on my own in a bedsit.

I found it grand to own my space, even though, it meant having to pay rents and utility bills. In the staff premises, we also had breakfast or tea, depending on our shifts as well as our room cleaned when we were on early one. Living on my own, I had to clean (thanks God, it was only a bedsit!) shop for food and to cook. I had to provide for myself in all possible ways. There was no one to whom I could go out of the room to cry them out “Please, come here! I need you!” Whether the sink got blocked  or the bulbs fused, it was me and only me to sort it out.  

Yet, it was good feeling to be able to tell a friend to go along for a coffee and a chat at any time, without having to mind the others.

I am not a loner and I love interacting as conversation is one of my favourite pastimes. I lived with my family and I had a long relationship for many years. When people ask me if I wouldn’t like to live with someone, because it is boring to live alone all the time. I don’t have much time to get bored, I may respond. Would I like living with someone else? Maybe. Trouble is that when we are adults, we become a bit more selective. Whereas, at 18 or 19 one is likely take on almost everything or everybody. I wouldn’t like to live with someone else for the sake of of not living alone.

As they say in temp job agencies as regards an applicant, They should fit in the profile!

There are good things about living alone than a family won’t be able to afford, such as certain foods. Since you’re alone, you may have the luxury of eating some of the best things, because you only need a small portion. Supermarkets and big chain shops have already noticed this trend by creating small portions of these foods that only a big family could have years ago. 

When travelling, one will always find a free seat or a free table at a restaurant to suit one’s likes.

Someone asked to me what if you get sick or have an accident. If one happens to catch a flu, one may go to the near shops for some food, for medicines to stay in bed warm with a book in the hands. If an accident, there is the telephone number one can call up at a cell phone at hand’s reach.

After all, we are born alone even if there’s doctor, nurse and midwife around us. When we die, we are also alone no matter how many turn up to our funeral. 

Therefore, it is up to us whether we take the most advantages of living on our own.  

Am I right or am I not?

Waking up alone in that big bed can only mean one thing, more room to stretch and start the day feeling great. Feel each muscle as it responds and lay there knowing there is no one to disturb this perfect moment.

Get up and spend as much time as you want in the bathroom. Sing out loud in the shower – there’s no one to complain. 

Decide what you would like for breakfast. It’s bound to be your favorite as you’re only shopping for yourself and you don’t have to take anyone else’s likes and dislikes into consideration. Linger over your coffee or newspaper – you don’t have to rush around making sure anyone else is going to be on time and you know you have plenty to spare.

After work go shopping for fresh, tasty foods. You’re only buying for one so you can buy exactly what you want as you see it. No more buying stuff you sort of like now you can indulge yourself.

Open your front door knowing that the only mess you’ll find is mess you left there yourself. If you tidied up your breakfast things then you won’t even have those to deal with. This means that after getting your evening meal ready the rest of the evening is yours to do with as you please. 

Going out, staying in, it’s up to you. If you feel like slobbing out in front of the television in sweat pants and old t-shirt there’s no one to notice. If you feel like having a bath or washing your hair there is no one to complain that you have used all the hot water. If you feel like hitting the town you don’t have to offer any explanations or decide ahead when you will be home.

When you decide you want to go to bed think of the wonderful night ahead. There is no one to disturb your precious sleep with their snoring, tossing and turning, stealing all the covers or taking over most of the bed. 

Living alone has many good points and is not something to be feared. It can be a time to rest and recuperate, a time to find out what is important to you or a time to learn to be kind to yourself. 

If you live alone take full advantage of this time and make it truly wonderful. 

The reasons are many. As soon as you are on your own you start to live much more and much better. Let me give you an example, now you start treasuring your job much more because you MUST have all the necessary money at the end of the month to buy everything you need. Now if you lose the job you won’t have anyone else to pay your bills for you.

Second reason is that you now no longer can count on your parents to cook for you, to put your clothes ready and also to make your dinner. You either cook for yourself or you must have the money to go eat outside.

You must learn how to wash your clothes and how to iron them. Now your mamma cannot do this for you. Still I know many people who have their own parents doing this for them… They are kids who just sleep out of their parents place.

Outside your parents place it’s a dangerous world. You must learn how to take care of yourself, you will have to face terrible situations and you must win them all. If you must just a karate school but keep in mind here you will just learn some basic defense. I read in a website that a black belt student will get himself killed in a street fight on Afghanistan.

Then you will have to learn how to take care of your own car. You no longer have your father doing this for you. You either know how to do it or you will just have to take it to the mechanic all the time.

And finally you will value your time and your money much more than you ever thought you would. You now see that each minute you waste thinking about something, doing something, talking to someone or just reading a website is wasting money.

True, college life provides a sort of dress rehearsal for the chaos and challenge of the rat race, but nothing ever prepares you for the combination of thrill, trepidation and guarded optimism when you set out to explore a strange alley that looks vaguely threatening and tantalizing at the same time.

Setting up shop in a new city that may well serve ¬¬– depending on your luck — as your temporary or lifetime quarters is, by all accounts, a daunting prospect. But when you’re in your 20s you don’t let small things (or sometimes even big ones) bother you. At least, not much. You know there are bound to be some problems along the way, but hey what’s life without a few complications right?

I think that what feeds your enthusiasm to move to a different place, away from your family and friends and all that’s familiar, is the chance to start a new identity (figuratively) or at least to improve on your old one. If there’s no one around to remind you of past transgressions and why you can/can’t do this and that, chances are you’ll be more open to possibilities.

Unsaddling past baggage from one’s load is sometimes all the catalyst one needs in order to indulge in a bout of creativity and initiative. In effect, you are drawing up your own Constitution — you are both the monarch and the servant of your own little kingdom. And the best thing about it is if you violated your own laws, you can either ignore it or at least amend some provisions to suit your own convenience.

And being the sovereign ruler (and sole occupant) of your territory means you get to take care of a few things on your own, or else the kingdom will fall apart.

Treasury — This department takes the biggest slice of the pie. After establishing your boundaries, you need to propose, pass and enforce a budget to make sure that your palace is in good order (in most cases, an apartment). You need to have gold in your hoard to support your lifestyle (clothes, food, transportation) and to live with some measure of security (insurance). Otherwise, you’re toast.

Housekeeping — Since there’s no else around to lend you things or a few $$ to tide you over until your next paycheck, it’s in your best interest to ensure that the basics are covered (rent, utilities, groceries, etc.).

Territorial Defense — There’s no sense in inviting trouble, especially while you’re in the process of establishing your borders. Invest in good locks, avoid risky areas, and be alert. And oh, it would help if you stay in constant touch with a friend or a family member just in case.

Research and Development — The potential for future expansion should also be considered. If you’re planning to plunk some of your hard-earned $$ on some choice items (down payment for a car/house, 50-in plasma TV, a diamond necklace), you could start saving for them right now. Better yet, start investing your money wisely.

Foreign Affairs — Like all fledgling empires, the prudent policy for you is to be on friendly terms with those around you. Be a good neighbor (at home or at the office). Believe me, it helps. And while you’re alone in a strange city, you need all the help you can get.

Arts, Culture & Entertainment — At this stage, this should be the last of your priorities, but again depending on your resources, an occasional night out or indulging a hobby, as long as it’s not too prohibitively pricey, wouldn’t hurt.

Of course, living far away from home has its downside, too (chiefly, the risks involved and the feeling of isolation). Still, these are things that can be coped with in time, at your own pace.

Staying at the place where you were born and bred can be a good option for some. That is, if you don’t mind the occasional bout of interference from well-meaning folks. Plus, it can a bit of a challenge to convince your neighbors or relatives (especially the older ones) that you’re no longer the same snot-nosed, clumsy kid who used to say and do the most embarrassing things! And heaven help you if you have a pile of those mortifying (laughter-inducing) incidents rattling around your closet! Ugh!!