growing up is hard to do

Growing up I never had my own room; I shared 2 bathrooms that had no locks with 11 other people; Thursday was my day of the week to sit in the front seat; I always got my sisters hand me downs; no photo studio would take our family picture; and we were constantly having family meetings that was guaranteed somebody would cry at.

In college I shared my room with a random stranger; another roommate would leave the light on while I attempted to fall asleep; tried to stay sleeping while my roomies 2 or 3alarms went off before she finally hit snooze and it repeated 3 more times; dealt with the underwear tree; washed dishes that I didn't dirty; and cried on my roommates shoulder at 3 in the morning (while smoking swisher sweets) about a stupid guy.

Now it has been exactly 150 days since I have been living alone. When I come home my apartment is exactly the way I left it, nobody elses mess to clean up, and I can turn the music up as loud as I want. I thought it would be wonderful. . .

Until I actually moved in on January 23rd 2010. It was worse then I could ever have imagined. It was so quiet I could hear the crickets creek and it isn't much fun cleaning up alcohol bottles when you finished it alone the night before (just kidding about that part). In fact, I think I can say I cried more times the first 3 months I lived here then I had in the past 3 years combined.

Slowly I am getting used to this whole living alone thing. I've learned its OK to watch movies by yourself or dance around in your underwear without a partner (hehe). And it is nice being able to sing as loud as you want in the shower without anybody judging your "really pretty voice". Today I danced in the rain and even shot some hoops without being embarassed to be out there doing it by myself (which I would have been a year ago).

I never thought I would say it, but I can honestly say I miss the days of sharing the bathroom with a younger brother who doesn't know how to screw the cap back on the toothpaste and the mornings that your roommates would crawl into your bed just to discuss the events from the night before.

After having the experience of eating diner alone at my kitchen table, I am confident I will be more appreciative and easy going with any roommates I have in the future.