I live in Chicago, in my parents basement, which is also our family/TV room. I have no wall, no door, no lock to separate my bed from the TVroom. I get no privacy.
I need to move out. And boy have I been trying. I had two friends who decided to get a 2 bedroom without me. I have one friend who is content to stay at home. Other people I would live with moved out a long time ago and are already set with a lease.I have three choices. One: move out by myself. But, it’s expensive. I’d basically be working just to pay bills. Two: I might be able to move out with my friend, but he is unsure right now because his girlfriend is graduating college and they might move in with each other. Three: I can get an apartment with two other dudes whose lease is expiring in May. But, one of the dudes is really sloppy and has a completely random work schedule, i.e. he is a musician/bartender. Plus, I’m a grad student who needs quiet. All I’m saying is, I see conflict in that arrangement.
Option two is ideal. But, it might not happen. Option one is do-able. I’d be broke, really, really broke. I’d live in a small apartment and be home poor. I’d never be able to go out. All my money would go to bills and expenses (gas, food, beer). Plus, the only 1 bedroom I could afford would be the kind with one big room with a kitchen in the corner and a small bedroom off to one side–basically one big square studio. I could get a nicely sized 1 bedroom in a sketchy neighborhood, but who wants that. Getting a cheaper and smaller one room studio is not going to happen because I need space. I hope my friend jumps on board. Or else I got decisions that need immediate attention. Live broke? Or, live grimey with my two other friends. What to do? What the hell to do!?!?
Move out now!!!!
I can relate…I really can. My situation is pretty much the same right now. My advice is to stay at home! Trust me on this one! I tried the bad roomate deal and I tell you I rather deal with crap from my family than from some schmuck! I also tried living by myself and was broke, miserable, started to hate my job ’cause I never saw the money,and all the privacy i.e. no social life really wasn’t that important. Stay at home, contribute to your parents and save/invest so you can get your own place when you graduate.
Peace.
As someone who’s looking for a place myself–or at least hoping to start soon–I can sympathize with your predicament. Having an apartment all to oneself seems ideal, but it might get a little monastic after a while–especially if you spend all your cash on bills, leaving you trapped inside while your friends are going out. But then again, roommates, even if they’re your best friends, would still be people you have to deal with and accomodate day in day out at the expense of your precious freedom, which is presumably the reason you’re moving out in the first place. Again, all I can say is that I sympathize. Good luck.