PJ shorts and kimchi and Queer Eye… oh, my!
What do these all have in common in my household? None of these can openly exist under this roof.
This is one of many reasons I’m so excited to be able to live on my own someday.
I’m not gonna be hasty and move out prematurely, but when I see these “Living Alone” vloggers, ya gotta wonder if they know how good they have it.
Here’s a few things I’m REALLY excited to do that I believe many people living alone take for granted:
Personal Things Others Can Take for Granted When Living Alone:
Anything but murder mysteries on while fixing dinner.
When we first moved into the apartments me live in, I made a HelloFresh porkloin with a balsamic jam, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
To fit the mood, I played jazz on the just outside the kitchen in the living room while I cooked.
I miss that.
My dad takes over the TV now.
So now I get to listen to how little Susise was curb-stomped, scalped, and ran over by a car before an accomplice pistol-whipped her, leaving her for dead in the middle of the woods unless I plug my ears with the newest upload on YouTube.
(I actually keep a playlist to stay prepared with things to watch and drown out my surroundings.)
Sigh.
Being able to freely exist without the fear of waking others.
Do you know how quiet I try to be in the kitchen?
Do you also know that I’ve memorized all the squeaky hallway floorboard spots in the past?
Imagine: getting out of bed and just… walking. And cooking!
Closing cabinets without doing so super slowly…
Opening the fridge by the handle, not by slipping your fingers between the suction…
Not having to forgo certain snacks and meals because the packaging is too loud.
Ahhh…
Cooking “stinky” foods.
As soon as I move out, I’m buying the ingredients I need to make me a big batch of brothy beans, including a jar of kimchi (which I like to add to it).
That kimchi is gonna be made into jammy kimchi, kimchi jeon, kimchi fried rice… all the kimchis.
Eventually, I’ll also cook up broccoli, brussel sprouts…
And I won’t have to go outside to do it, or light scented candles, run a fan, and spray perfume JUST TO COOK.
Being pantsless.
To be able to exist around your living quarters without pants… what’s that like?
Or with even less clothing without worrying about someone seeing?
And while we’re on that note…
Being able to wear shorts and short sleeves!
Living in a household where everyone but you enjoys the freezing cold and ceiling fans and only opens the windows in the car when it’s already freezing outside…
It’s safe to say that wearing anything but bundled-up winter wear is a must all year round, unfortunately.
Gotta fight that frostbite!
You know that feeling when you’re dressed in less for the 90-degree summer scorcher and then go into a heavily air-conditioned Kohl's? That’s my house.
So. Excited. To be. Comfortable. At. Home. Wow.
You don’t have to hear surprise ignorant statements throughout the day.
You hear that? It’s the sound of not hearing a family member tell you “yeah, but women get beaten by men more than men get beat by women.”
Like… it’s a dismissal of you mentioning that it’s just a basic fact at all.
I’m telling you… rolling your eyes as hard as I do nearly every day can’t be healthy.
And I wouldn’t have to do that period if I lived alone.
Having NOTHING (aka the news) on first thing in the morning.
Could just be a “me” thing, but usually first thing in the morning I’m dealing with family members for an hour or so, and the news is on.
… And I’m not in the mood to hear about the latest shooting, abduction, virus update when my subconscious is most ready to absorb things.
Listening to music OUT LOUD.
Can you imagine? Listening to music out loud in your own place?
Without people complaining about your music taste?! Wow.
Watching whatever TV show you want.
Wanna watch the literal food porn that is Food Wars?
Ready to spot out the seaon’s f-word in your second round of BoJack Horseman?
How does it feel to be able to watch Queer Eye or any commercial that happens to have a same-sex couple without anxiety automtically building?
Must be nice.
Being able to cook, clean, EXIST without anyone telling you you’re doing it wrong.
The micromangaing first thing in the morning for leaving some water sprinkles behind after washing your face wouldn’t even exist, would it?
Neither would others’ cleaning schedules, right? Wow.
Having a sancturary for escape.
One of my favorite things to read in Ashley Ford’s memoir, Somebody’s Daughter, was when she got her own place for the first time.
She loves her mom, and there were toxic things about her as well.
And when things got toxic, she could finally say, “nope, you can’t tell me what to do. I have my own roof I live under now.” And leave.
Imagine being able to dismiss yourself or stand up for yourself because you pay your own bills and support your own self.
The ultimate flex.
Now to add a disclaimer: I know not everyone living alone is doing so because of any of the reasons above. This is purely my own personal list of what I’m excited to experience living alone (and why).
With that said, any of these relatable for you?
Are you still living at home? Moved back in?
What are now aware of taking for granted living on your own, if anything at all?
