Can a student live without any help from their parents? Is the “live alone for student” scenario possible? You’d get a grant, scholarship, or loan to cover the tuition. You’ll also get a job and you’ll manage to cover all expenses somehow. But living alone isn’t just about finances. It’s about home maintenance. Are you able to do that?
I know what you’re thinking. “You could write a sci-fi book about a student who does everything on their own. It would sell well.”
But it’s not science fiction. It’s the mere reality for many students around the world. Students life has never been easy, but don’t despair! It’s possible to take care of your studies and your home at the same time.
We’ll give you a list of 6 skills that you need to develop, so you’ll go through the college students life alone. If you learn how to use the time you have on your hands, you might as well achieve this goal.
6 Skills that Fully Support College Students Life
1. Protect Yourself
If you chose to live in rental property alone, look for a building with extra security features. You’re living alone for the first time, so that could be a little scary. This doesn’t mean you should be freaking out, though. It just means that you should invest in some kind of alarm system. If that’s not an option, this is the least you could do:
- Rent an apartment in a gated complex with security doors.
- Fix an interior door chain or a deadbolt lock. That’s the simplest and cheapest security feature.
- Change the locks if possible. If someone else lived in the same apartment, they may have a key.
- Take a self-defense course. Seriously; you’ll feel much safer knowing that if any intruders come in, you’ll know how to protect yourself. Just as you will know how to write a dissertation with professional dissertation writers for hire and protect yourself from not being a well-paid job.
2. Weatherproofing
What if a hurricane approaches? When you live alone, you don’t have your parents taking care of preparations. Weatherproofing takes a lot of time, so this is a moment when you’ll ask to write essay helper StudyClerk! If you have a lot of homework to do, delegate! Staying safe in the face of bad weather is a priority.
- Secure the windows with storm panels. Plywood is a simple and cheap option, but it’s not the safest one for a really bad hurricane. Metal and plastic panels are safer.
- Keep a list of contacts easily accessible, find capstone project titles ideas.
- Get a portable generator, so you’ll keep basic appliances going if you lose power.
- If this is your own property, you really need an insurance policy. It’s part of the weatherproofing process.
3. Cleaning
When you live on your own, you’re fully responsible for keeping things tidy. Cleaning for 15 minutes every day will keep it sparkling all the time. Otherwise, you’ll end up in a distracting mess that would take much more time to clear up.
Cleaning the windows, the carpet, and other major challenges will take more time. You might need to sacrifice a weekend per month to cover those tasks.
4. Cooking
You’ll save a lot of money if you learn how to cook your own meals. Plus, you’ll stop buying fast food, and you’ll get more vitamins and minerals in your system. That’s important for keeping your energy levels high.
Speaking of energy, you should invest in energy-saving appliances and pots that will reduce heat loss as much as possible.
5. Renovation on a Budget
Some of your friends have financial support from their parents throughout college. They don’t have to work, so they can easily spend more time with friends. You don’t have such flexibility. You’ll have to learn how to live with that.
Keep your eye on the final goal, and that’s graduation in total autonomy.
When you want to make your home prettier, the makeover doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Just clean up the space and get rid of everything you don’t need. Then, get inspired by minimalism. Get only a few things that will be easy to maintain, won’t cost a fortune, and will look well.
6. The Skill of Being a Good Neighbor
It’s easy to go through the crowd without making a connection with anyone. Giving someone a smile and saying a nice word when you don’t feel well… that’s hard. But being a good neighbor is also good for your sanity. You need people to rely on. If you get locked outside your home or any kind of unwanted situation occurs, who do you go to?
If you want to have people around when it’s hard, you should first be there for them. Become part of the community. You don’t have to do too much; just get to know people and have small talks when you meet them.
You Can Do This!
Many people dream about the independence that you have. You’re a young, healthy individual with great opportunities ahead. Having to support yourself throughout college is not the ideal situation. You’d like to have enough money, so you wouldn’t have to work that much, and you could spend more time partying. You would buy all the things you need without thinking about the budget. You’d hire people to maintain your home, so you wouldn’t have to think about those details. But life gives you lemons, so you better take advantage of the experience.
Always have the final goal to mind. You will go to classes, take exams, study, complete homework, and take on a job. You’ll maintain a home at the same time. It’s possible. Many other students do it, too! Living on your own is not easy, but it’s something you’ll have to experience, sooner or later. You know what? Sooner is better. Most of your friends will get to this point after they graduate. By then, you’ll already be on the right things. This experience will give you an advantage in the way you handle things after graduation.
BIO: Connie Elser is a tireless traveler. She started working as a freelancer three years ago, and she’s been to eleven countries since. Connie shares her experience through her blog posts, hoping to inspire young people to live life to the fullest.