10 Reasons Why Living by Yourself Is Actually the Best

By Kendall Cherry

If there were ever a time to tell you that Taylor Swift is my homegirl, it would be now. While I don't own a townhouse in NYC, I rent a space that I can call my own. And while it can get a little lonely, most of the time, it actually rocks. Here's why:

1. You can sing in the shower as loud as you possibly can, and only your neighbors can judge you.

2. You can eat the same bacon/sausage and eggs combo for breakfast every morning and never feel guilty because nobody has to know. Except for right now.

3. You can re-binge Orange Is The New Black and mentally prepare for season 3 for an entire Sunday.

4. When you get mail, you know it's for you. Unless it's for "current resident." But even that counts. Score!

5. Your ironing board becomes a permanent piece of furniture that acts as a dining table, countertop, laptop stand and phone charging station all at the same time.

6. Promising yourself you're going to cook every night this week, but then you go to Chick-fil-a on Tuesday.

7. Promising yourself you're going to bring your lunch every day this week, but then you get lunch in the cafeteria on Monday.

7. When your first rainstorm makes the power go out for over five hours, and you already have candles to light like the olden days. 

8. When you have to be a grownup when the sprinkler on the third floor breaks, floods the apartment above you, and ruins your ceiling. 24/7 maintenance requests are an amenity.  

9. No makeup, no problem.

10. You can choose what you do (or don't do) with your time. You can be selective of your friends and experiences. Your life is yours to live. 

It's been the strangest adjustment for me to be living totally by myself. I've done it for a few months before, but never for this long (or this permanent). Most days it's weird to think that I'm doing this "adulting" thing, but other times, the freedom gives me a powerful sense of adventure.