[full-width-figure image=”https://dtl-staging.org/2020/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/leavinghome.jpg” alt=”leaving home and living on your own”]
Growing up affects us all in different ways as we all head in different directions and on alternative paths to build our own lives, careers and accomplishments. Life is uncertain and unpredictable and that is one of the beauties of it. One thing for sure is that, at some point along the way you will live with other human beings and gain valuable insight into how the rest of the world works.
Here are our top recollections and things to look out for once you have checked out of the hotel of mum and dad.
1. Housemates
Now this was always going to be everyone’s top memory when it comes to living in a shared house. Remember that housemate that was just slightly unhinged and used to do strange things that neither you or your housemates would ever be able to fully understand or explain like going to the toilet with the door open or eating whole boxes of cereal for dinner; don’t sweat it, you weren’t alone. We all had one…
2. Neighbours
Everyone has them, don’t worry, we’re not going to moan about ALL neighbours. Just those that have not figured out how to turn down the volume from the rave in their front room at 3am on a Tuesday. Followed the next morning by, this wonderful he or she having no knowledge that the music they were playing was louder than the volume of the pyramid tent at Glastonbury festival.
If you haven’t had one of these already, it’s probably you.
3. That Food Thief
To this day, you probably still haven’t found out who was pinching your chicken and mushroom Pot Noodles. We just hope that the Dick Turpin imitator has eaten enough of these ‘essential sundries’ to be sick of them for the rest rest of their lives.
4. Shopping
After looking at extravagant recipes for delicious meals online you decide to venture down to the local Tesco Express and after wandering the aisles with no purpose for longer than necessary, you realise that you’ve lost motivation to eat/cook something that tastes like a proper dinner (especially if it can’t be cooked on a George Foreman) and therefore… you head to the pasta and microwaveable rice section of the shop… Again.
5. Energy Drinks
Apart from pot noodles and pasta (mentioned above), energy drinks become one of your 5 a day for some unbeknown reason. Having a can of overly sweet, artificially coloured and extremely dehydrating liquid seemed a far better choice than picking up an apple out of the fruit bowl that mum brought you to try and get you to eat healthier.
6. Rotas
One that not all of you will have experienced but a few of us had that housemate that stuck up a rota every week. The dreaded day of reckoning that decided who was doing the dishes that had been sitting in the sink since the previous week. Oh joy… You know everything is going a bit pear shaped the moment you start to find passive aggressive post-it notes dotted around the place.
7. Parents
Visiting home for the weekend? Invited over for dinner? Remember to thank your parents for handling the teenage mood swings so well, changing your bedding every week and putting food in your belly each day. Although the most important question that you should ask yourself is… Have I packed my dirty washing for mum and dad? Of course you have. You’ve done this before; you seasoned pro, you.
