Breakaway

Contrary to popular belief, there is nothing glamorous about moving out from your parent's place and living on your own.  Sure the whole independence thing sound very promising in the beginning. But independence, like everything else in life can be very bitchy as time passes by.

Living on your own is so unglamorous that at times I feel like suing the producers of Gossip Girl for making it so entertaining and sophisticated and polished. The reality is it is far from a polished life this whole living out. All the partying and sleeping late?

Bullshit.

Aha okay maybe I might not be that literate on the late night partying because I've always had this inner nerd in me. But oh the reality is an ugly, ugly thing. Doing your own laundry, cooking your own meal, cleaning out the room...the list goes on and on. And oh god did I mention managing your own finances?

Managing your own account has got to be the bitchiest of all. As most of you would have probably know by now, I am an obsessive and compulsive shopper. But there is nothing compulsive about my spending these days. For example, the other day I went to three different sundry shops to compare the prices of Chipsmore cookies before cycling about 5km to Tesco. All because Tesco's Chipsmore was cheaper by RM1.40.

But I guess living out makes you appreciate your parents even more which is what, I think, most of us young people don't do enough. Our mom and dad make managing the household and finances look almost effortless. It makes the whole nagging from mom thing seems very valid during these times.

I guess independence is not that bitchy after all. Living on your own teaches you all these subtle things once you get pass the frivolities of chores and what not. So here is to those who have taken the leap from the comfort of your home into the big bad world and those who are about to. To those who haven't, worry not. All of us, at some point in our life, do breakaway.


(Originally published in Happenstance & The Reason Why)