For the first few weeks of the school year, I had moved to a new apartment, only this time I had no roommate. Thinking the freedom and newfound sense of independence would be great, I was soon faced with the kind of situations that only Dr Steve Brule would replicate. I think he said it best when it comes to the challenges of living on your lonesome.
Besides those sound pieces of advice, I've come up with a few tricks of myself. They may come in handy to those of you who have finished school and are trying to find your way in the very different adult world.
1. Don't Be Alone
To keep the relentlessly-looming loneliness at bay, invite people over to your place constantly. You don't even need a reason, just keep a reserve of tasty food in the kitchen and outfit your living room with games ranging from Dutch Blitz to the Dutch Blitz 8 player expansion pack. If you can make food, use that as bait to entice visitors (which has the added effect of preventing you from eating a whole pizza/chicken/pumpkin pie in one evening). If that doesn't work, go outside and watch people do things until it's time for bed, just don't take too many pictures of them or they might get the wrong impression. In the case of an emergency, consider adopting three or more cats, who's presence should certainly be comforting
To keep the relentlessly-looming loneliness at bay, invite people over to your place constantly. You don't even need a reason, just keep a reserve of tasty food in the kitchen and outfit your living room with games ranging from Dutch Blitz to the Dutch Blitz 8 player expansion pack. If you can make food, use that as bait to entice visitors (which has the added effect of preventing you from eating a whole pizza/chicken/pumpkin pie in one evening). If that doesn't work, go outside and watch people do things until it's time for bed, just don't take too many pictures of them or they might get the wrong impression. In the case of an emergency, consider adopting three or more cats, who's presence should certainly be comforting
2. Make a lot of Noise
To prevent a surprise existential crisis, put on music and keep yourself busy with menial tasks. You don't want to be caught in the silence alone with your thoughts, that's never fun. If necessary, buy a good quality speaker loud enough to completely flush out the silence & fill the whole house with old-timey tunes. This also helps you to get familiar with your neighbours, who will quickly learn all about your musical tastes, and might even come knocking at the door to express their feelings about said music.
To prevent a surprise existential crisis, put on music and keep yourself busy with menial tasks. You don't want to be caught in the silence alone with your thoughts, that's never fun. If necessary, buy a good quality speaker loud enough to completely flush out the silence & fill the whole house with old-timey tunes. This also helps you to get familiar with your neighbours, who will quickly learn all about your musical tastes, and might even come knocking at the door to express their feelings about said music.
3. Try not to be a Complete Idiot
Try to keep a healthy state of mind during each day's monumental weight of responsibility. Having a space that you alone
occupy means that if you lose, break or consume (and then forget
about consuming) something, it's definitely your fault. Your mother will also take far less sympathy on you, considering this is not even your first year living outside of the house and you're asking how to use a clothes iron. It won't take long for the truth about your life skills (or lack thereof) to surface. You''ll also have to check yourself more carefully before you leave the house. Does my hair look clean and groomed? Did I put deodorant on? Am I wearing a shirt that doesn't have multiple courses of dinner spattered across it? If you've found that one or more of these things is not true, and you've wandered too far from home, then make a b-line for shelter and do your best to avoid anyone who remotely resembles an acquaintance. But if you really can't get a hold of
yourself... 4. Problem Solve
Not having a roommate also means not having a consultant for important decisions; You'll be expected to figure it out by yourself. If you don't have internet in your apartment yet, because in Macau there is a 3-week waiting list for installation appointments, refrain from texting people with questions such as how swiffer rags onto the pad, or opening a can with those old fashioned type can openers. This is your opportunity to live and learn, and re-learn when you do it colossally wrong. If you don't know how to use the washing machine properly, my best advice is to press a few buttons and leave the clothes inside for a couple of days to make sure it's done its full cycle (make sure you take your earphones out of any pockets BEFORE you do this). If you forget to put soap in, that's okay, you'll remember for next week's load, today rinsed clothes are better than dirty clothes. Got whiteboard marker on your white shirt? Pour extra bleach in, unless it's too much bleach and it turns all your striped socks into blotchy pink socks.
I do not claim to be a smart man, except when I do. Living alone can be a real challenge, but so can living in general. I hope that this has been a help to you, because it certainly has been for me. Also I have a roomie now.
I do not claim to be a smart man, except when I do. Living alone can be a real challenge, but so can living in general. I hope that this has been a help to you, because it certainly has been for me. Also I have a roomie now.
