Being a young adult can be hard, especially when one starts to live alone for the first time. Whether it be due to university or finding a new job; maybe you spontaneously decided it was time to take the leap and move to that country you have always wanted to live in but never had the courage to take the leap. Whatever the reason is, living by yourself can be hard for a number of reasons: You will have to become self-sufficient, it might get lonely, you will be homesick, etc. All of these things are completely normal when you first move out on your own. This list of tips should give you an idea of things to do to make living alone easier.
Create a schedule
When you first start living by yourself, you have all the freedom and time in the world. no one tells you when it is time to do work or time to eat; you make those decisions now and that can be daunting. To prevent yourself from falling into bad habits like having dinner at midnight or not completing your work for the next day or that week on time, make a schedule of your day or week and either allocate specific amounts of time for certain tasks or make a to-do list. Scheduling your time helps you ensure you are as productive and consistent as possible. If you set your dinner time at 8 pm every day, you are more likely to stick to it than if you do not have some form of guideline as to when you should be doing what. This does not mean that if you are not hungry at 8 pm that you need to eat anyway, you can eat at 7 pm or 9 pm, the schedule is more of a guideline rather than a set-in-stone list of tasks you must complete at the exact allocated time. even if you don't do things exactly within the parameters you established for yourself, having a guideline is always helpful and makes you feel more in control of your day.
Chores day
Establish a day that you will dedicate to doing household maintenance so you have the maximum amount of time available the rest of the week. Selecting a day to do the washing, cleaning up, and organising can be seen as an extension of the previous point. This day is usually Sunday for most people as it is the day most people stay at home and don't make plans. However, this can be different for anyone depending on their schedule. If you are a person that works on the weekends, find a day of in your schedule and do the chores then. This tip is for you to adapt to your schedule however you want.
Learn to do things alone
As previously mentioned, living alone can be a lonely experience. If you moved to student accommodation for university, or if you have landed your first job and finally decide to get your own home, you will either be surrounded by people you don't know or have an entire space for yourself. In these situations, it is important to learn how to enjoy your own company. We can sometimes feel unsatisfied with our day if we haven't done anything of note like meeting up with a friend for coffee or going to the movies. This, however, is not the case. You can do these things without the need of having a companion despite them being activities commonly done in a group or with at least one other person. To start exercising this, do small things that don't take up much time like going for a coffee alone or walking to class by yourself instead of meeting up with someone to do it. It can start with small things and slowly build up to bigger events like watching a movie or eating at a restaurant alone. It is crucial you appreciate your own company and find things to do that do not involve other people because not everyone is going to have the same schedule as you and there will be times you will find yourself alone. If you want to do something, do it, you don't need anyone else to enjoy a good time.
Be the one to organise plans
Continuing with the productive vein, if you do want to spend time with others, be the one to make the first move. Knock on your neighbours' door and introduce yourself, bring them an offering or invite them to your house for a cup of tea or dinner if you are comfortable with it. Form a rapport with the people around you, neighbours, classmates, and people in the same societies or groups as you are great places to look for friends with similar interests as you. It has to be said that in a lot of situations, the people around you are in the same position as you. They also want to make friends and spend time with others, therefore, by being a proactive person, you make the people around you feel safe and welcomed by your gesture.
Try new solo hobbies
If you want to continue exploring and spending time on your own, you can try new things as a way of learning more about yourself. After living with people, whether that be family or friends, and moving on to living alone, it can be valuable to spend time on our own learning about ourselves outside of who we are when we are with others. If there is something you have wanted to try but were scared of because no one was interested in it, this is your time to go for it and try it out on your own. New hobbies are a great way of filling time if you are feeling particularly lonely or bored and can be really lucrative for your mental health. Doing something you enjoy without company can help you develop a better relationship with yourself and appreciate your time on your own more.
To conclude, living alone can be nerve-racking, but it is overall a great experience that brings a lot of growth and self-reflection. Learning to spend time on your own but also engage with others in new ways will also improve your experience of this new moment in life.
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