By, Nicole Crimaldi
To live alone or not to live alone: that is the question.
For those of you who are like me and spent all four years of college living with roommates (and perhaps the first few years after), you may be getting to the point in your life where you are ready for something new: living alone.
I just signed my first independent lease yesterday and I couldn’t be happier with my decision to live alone. Yes, it is extremely expensive. Yes, my play money is going to be significantly reduced. And yes, there are times when I may be bored by myself.
Yet on the other hand, the positives seem endless! For example, no apologizing about my puppy crying, shedding or having accidents; no having to deal with roommates boyfriends being over all the time, no roommates who don’t pay bills, party too much, or always want to be together. No awkwardness, no fighting about stupid things, no terribly long stories that I don’t care to hear after a long day of work.
Sounds worth the extra money to me!
But a lot of people in their twenties don’t agree with me. Many prefer to live as cheaply as possible in their twenties: perhaps to save up for the purchase of their first home, to pad their savings account, or out of necessity of having that fun entry level salary.
“I make six figures but I just can’t justify throwing away so much money on rent. I like my roommates; we all do our own thing. I’d rather live as cheaply as possible so I’m not tied down financially,” says Matt, a 28 year old who lives with four other roommates on Chicago’s north side.
Well, guys like Matt may struggle when it comes to dating. My closest girlfriends and I were talking about this topic recently when two of my girlfriends revealed that they strongly prefer to date guys who live alone. They feel it shows financial responsibility, independence and growth since the college fraternity house days.
What living arrangement do you think makes the most sense in your twenties? Please share your thoughts!
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If anyone can relate to where you're at in your career, it's Nicole Crimaldi: Nicole spent 5 years in corporate America, switched career paths, worked at a start-up, survived a layoff and is now self-employed. Nicole believes that career satisfaction is a huge part of overall happiness. Therefore, she started Ms. Career Girl to help other women get off the treadmill and onto a more fulfilling path.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Must be nice for your girlfriends to have so many men to choose from that they can arbitrarily discriminate with guys without even getting to know them. Give me a break.
I’m debating this right now. I moved home after graduating from university and breaking up with my boyfriend, whom I lived with, and I currently work from home most of the time, making the two-plus hour commute to work only once each week. However, I’m dying to get in the office full-time — and back in the city I love (Toronto).
I could afford a teensy tiny apartment in a less-than-desirable area on my own, but it would eat up a lot of my salary and I still have student loans to pay off.
But I really, really don’t want room mates, especially since they would have to be strangers at this point.
Especially when moving to a new city, it is super nice to have roommates. Not only do they offer companionship and advice when you’re new in town, but they can introduce you to their friends and help you get your social circle blossoming.
Personally I love having people around me all the time, and I think I’d feel way too lonely living alone. However, I think the older you get the more content you become with being alone.
I think it really depends on the apartment itself- how large is it, how many bedrooms, sitting areas, etc. If you live in a big place I can’t see why having a roommate would be much of a bother, but if you are living somewhere small it could get hairy. Unlike Ms. Career girl, who shared a bedroom for all four years of college, I live in a spacious 3 bedroom apartment with 2 of my best girl friends at college, and I absolutely love it. It really just depends on who your roommates are I guess.
I 100% agree with you: living alone is best. No question
With my husband!!
Of all my college experience so far, I believe I’ve been through every living situation possible: Dorm with a roommate, dorm without a roommate, sorority house, VERY tiny one room studio, splitting a two bedroom flat, and now one room in a five bedroom house. I can definitely say that there is a point where a low rent amount, and a high number of roommates becomes too much to handle.
Far too much… Downtown loft, here I come!