10 Things I Learned from Living Independently

I lived with my sister for around four years in a boarding house near her office. In terms of accommodation, we had been through a lot: from getting bitten by an army of fire ants while we were asleep (we were so traumatized that we moved the next day) to fighting off a baby mouse partying in our room (I was so mortified I decluttered the day after that). Jakarta was the silent witness to our sarcastic jokes and fights. My sister, though annoying sometimes, was a roommate I would label as memorable.

Earlier this month, she moved out of our room. Now transferred to a different branch, she rents a space in another boarding house closer to her current office. The decision left me with two options: to move in with her again or to live alone in our old room. I chose the latter.

Well, it's been over two weeks since I started living alone. I love the solitude it brings me, and also the fact that my room feels much more spacious and neat now that my sister has moved out. I feel like a true grown-up discovering so many new things about the real world through living alone, and these are the 10 things that I think you should know too:

1. Listen to me: hanging an air freshener in the bathroom is life-changing. Glade's Peony and Berry Bliss smells so good that I'm officially into flowers now.
   
   
   
   
   
2. There's no need to stress when your toilet gets crusty! I've recently discovered that Harpic works like magic. The key is to scrub the stains and let them disintegrate. I use an old toothbrush to scrub before tossing it out.
   
   
3. I've been listening to Noah Kahan's album, Stick Season, a lot. The raw and honest lyrics, combined with the indie/folk music, feel so comforting.
   
   
4. Living alone has pushed me to be more responsible. I now take keeping track of my inventory seriously so I don't suddenly run out of soap, hair oil, or other refillable stuff.
   
   
5. It gets lonely sometimes, but that's normal. When my thoughts start to play tricks on me, I distract myself with things I'm passionate about. It keeps me on the right track, reminding me how much fun it is to spend time with myself.
   
   
6. Back at home, my mom often fusses at me about the importance of making my bed. I never take it seriously there, but I do here. Living in such a small space makes me realize that a well-made bed improves the overall vibe of the whole room.
   
   
7. A matching sheet and bed cover set the mood.
   
   
   
   
8. Back when I still lived with my sister, we never used the television that came with the room we rented. A week after she moved out, I took off the dusty cover and cleaned the TV. Well, I now feel like living in a hotel (sort of). I use an app called Miracast to connect my phone to the TV. Watching YouTube hits differently now.
   
   
9. I love watching people get ready on a vlog. For me, living alone feels like play-acting, so welcome back to my YouTube channel!
   
   
10. More space for skincare! Have I mentioned how much I love getting ready aesthetically?