Living alone could help you grow immensely

Why you should be on your own at least once in your life

Michael McShane
Staff Writer

When I moved out to Mankato from Los Angeles, I had the self-reassurance that, since I would be roommates with a friend, I would not be alone in this then new, unknown place. 

As much as I would like to say otherwise, I knew I would’ve never survived living on my own once I left the nest and so living together with someone helped me wean myself into the prospect of independence. 

Now, after living in Mankato for close to two years now and living alone for a year of that, I can say I’ve seen the biggest indication of growth and maturity since living alone.

I’ve learned responsibility in all its form and came out with a much different lookout on life than I did when I first came here. 

That is why I think everyone should at least devote one year to living by yourself. Living by yourself allows you to learn more about yourself. The good and bad parts of you that you would normally not notice if you had the company of someone else living with you.

The experience may differ depending on your personality, but there is no downside to having that alone time to allow yourself that moment of self-discovery. College is all about finding yourself and no one is better at figuring out yourself better than you.

Living alone is that much needed but not always appreciated kick in the butt to get into the real world and actually get an idea on how that world works. It’s harsh, but in the long run helps us more than that roommate who paid for your Uber after a long night.

But I can see why having roommates is more appealing than living alone. We’re all in college and having buddies and being sociable is one of the best parts about it. 

Another part about it is the enormous high cost of living! 

Being able to cut the cost of rent does have its benefits, but when it comes time to part ways and you have to face the world, they should learn how to survive on their own while their still in college.

Think of it as its own course along with your other classes. Your assignments are paying bills and cleaning the house.

The midterm is cleaning the entire bathroom. And the final is looking back and seeing how much you’ve gained from the experience.

By living alone, you find yourself in a better place mentally. It’s hard the first few days, it was hard the first month for me. But after a year I can’t say I’m not happy that I lived alone.

Header photo courtesy of Flickr.