[LIFE OF A 대학생] #3: 3 Cons of living on your own in a foreign/unfamiliar city

This is just a small post about the things I have experienced so far.

• You have to do everything on your own.

Cooking, cleaning the apartment, doing the laundry, making important phone calls, filling in forms, going grocery shopping, running errands, finding your way around, knowing what to do in every daily situation... the list of things your parents would have normally done for you goes on and on. But no, your parents aren't there anymore to pamper you. This is what life is really like! You have to face every situation that may seem troublesome on your own. Sometimes you can ask your parents or surf the internet for advice, but in the end it's you who has to make a decision. It can be quite a challenge to face all this on your own!

• It can get quite lonely.

This depends on how you live. Either you live together with strangers in an apartment or you're renting an apartment only for yourself. Either way, it can get a little lonely in a huge city where everything and everyone is strange and unfamiliar to you. Making friends as quick as possible is the only solution to fight the loneliness and have people around who can help you or comfort you.

• Life is expensive.

As soon as you live on your own you will notice how expensive life actually is. Your living habits will change as soon as you realise that putting on the stove to make yourself some pasta already costs a lot of electricity. Life without internet connection is unimaginable in times like these. But have you ever thought about how expensive it can get to monthly pay for your 25mbit/s? Especially as a student, things you have considered all your life to be normal, now become a privilege and a piece of luxury to you. Here are four ideas to save money:

• Don't let the water run while brushing your teeth, washing your hands or shampooing your hair.
  It's unnecessary to let the water run while brushing your teeth. All this precious water running down the drain could have been saved for another time. Also, while washing your hands, I have realised that I can save some water by not letting the water run while I am cleaning my hands with soap. Same goes to taking a shower: don't let the water run while you are soaping up your body or shampooing your hair! Only use the water to rinse out the shampoo.
• Cook meals in only one pot/pan.
  I never use more than two pots to make a meal, anyway. Especially now that I found out how electricity-consuming it is to put on the stove! There are a lot of simple but delicious meals out there on the internet that you can try out and make in only one pot or pan. This way you can save up some electricity as you will need only one hob!
• Only turn the lights on when necessary and use candles to create a cosy atmosphere.
  I have been living on my own for only a week so far but already on day one I would tell my dad: “We don't need to leave this light on, it's completely unnecessary! Let's just use this small lamp that doesn't consume electricity like it's its favourite meal!” And although cooking in the dark (because I felt too paranoid to even turn the lights on while the stove was eating up the electricity) is a little extreme, it is a good thing to not turn on too many lights. Ask yourself: “Is it necessary that I put this light on while the lamp on my desk is burning, too, and is actually enough to be able to read a book?” Especially in the evening, when I don't need to do any reading or studying, I won't turn on any big lights except for the small lamp on my desk and a candle on my small shelf. Using candles doesn't only save electricity, it also creates a cosy and nice atmosphere, perfect for when you are watching a film or listening to music. Another tip: be careful of the light bulbs you use! Some are very electricity-consuming, e.g. 75 watt bulbs. Instead, use light bulbs that will not waste too much (like <40 watt bulbs).
• Compare electricity/internet/TV/telephone providers online to save costs.
  The internet is a very useful place. There are websites that help you find the most affordable providers and help you save some needed Euros/Dollars/Pounds/etc. Ask yourself though: “What do I really need? Do I need to have my own telephone at home or is my mobile phone enough to make all the important calls with? Do I really need my own TV at home or wouldn't it be better to watch series online for less money? Do I really need the fastest internet connection they have to offer or is it enough for me if I can look up things online and watch videos from time to time?” To me, some of these things are pure luxury items that aren't 100% necessary. I don't have a telephone or a TV at home but that's because I only watch anime and TV series online and am not interested in crappy German TV programmes. But everyone has their own interests, so you have to figure out for yourself what you really need. As for internet and telephone, there often come student discounts with particular packages that can definitely save you some coins.