Moving away from home is an exciting, liberating, and utterly terrifying event in one’s life. Do you remember that feeling when you turned 16 and you thought you had independence because you could drive yourself everywhere? Well, just imagine that feeling times 10, and that is how you feel after moving out of your parents house and into the real world. Being free and able to do whatever you want whenever you want is such an incredible feeling, until you realize that it means you are kind of an “adult." You have to actually take care of yourself, and it is not as free and easy as it sounds.
1. Grocery Shopping
When you lived at home with your mom and dad, it was as if the fridge was always magically stocked with all of your favorite things. Now every time you open the door, instead of a full fridge there is some milk and that's about it. You have to actually go to the grocery store with a list and purchase food if you don't want to spend money on fast food every night.
2. Laundry
You learn just how long you can go without washing clothes (it isn't very long). Your parents aren't there to remind you that your wardrobe is getting smaller, so you will more than likely end up wearing every article of clothing you own more than once until you decide that it needs to be washed.
3. Killing bugs
There is no more yelling down the hall for your dad to come to the rescue when that spider starts crawling towards you. If it makes you feel better you can yell for him, but it just won't really help you much in the situation.
4. Paying bills
Money doesn't go as far as it once did. One day you think you have enough money to buy anything and everything, and then the next day your bills come in. Immediately you start to regret your most recent financial mistakes.
5. Finding a place to live
The hardest part of moving out is finding another place to live. Once you think that you have found the perfect place, someone else has already beat you to it. Eventually you resort to couch hopping for a few months until you finally find a place to live.
6. Saving money
You don't need a new outfit for every party so put the wallet away and wear something you already own. If there is no photo evidence that you wore it, then it is basically brand new with the tags on it, right?
7. Doing dishes
There will come a time when the sink is overflowing and you have to do the dishes yourself. It really doesn't take that much time, but it is definitely not one of the fun things you were looking forward to when you moved out.
8. Taking out the trash
It's gross, I know. But someone has to do it.
9. Being sick
Mom isn't there to take your temperature and make sure you are taking medicine, but she is only a phone call away.
10. Cleaning
Make it a party for one. Turn up the music and entertain yourself while sweeping and dusting. No one said cleaning had to be a quiet, boring task.
