Dear Wild Banshee,
I just moved into my very own apartment for the first time. I know you are an expert in this area. Any advice for a first timer like myself?
Big Girl
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big Girl,
Yeah, I am kind of an expert in this area. I'm starting into my fourth year of solo apartment living. My current apartment is the third different apartment during that stretch. So, even though I'm sort of a nester by nature, I am developing some expertise in this area. I have three tips for you.
#1 Make friends. You may be a person who enjoys some quality solitude. The Banshee herself doesn't have a problem with alone time, what with sports to watch and this blog and all. But, there are a lot of hours in the day. Particularly in the Saturdays and Sundays. Dorm life and home life automatically provide some human contact. That automatic contact disappears when you move into your own place. It's important to have someone to hang out with once in a while. Human contact is good for the soul.
#2 Entertainment. This tip is based on the same principle as the first tip. There are a lot of hours in the day. Even if you've got tons of friends, you're gonna have some long stretches of alone time. So, make sure you've got some fun ways to entertain yourself. TVs, DVD players, video game systems and computers are all good items. I've been told that books can also fill this void. The Banshee has a friend who moved into her own place during this past year. She lives alone. She's got no cable, no Playstation and no Internet in the house. Needless to say, she hasn't been very happy with her life this past year. So, get yourself some hobbies. And also some electronics.
#3 Decorate. No matter how much you like your new place and your new independence, it's easy to feel a little homesick once in a while. This is particularly true if you're living in a sterile, cookie-cutter apartment complex. Decorating is a good way to combat the impersonal nature of most apartments. Throw down some rugs. Hang up some curtains. Paint if your landlord allows it. If you're not really a Martha Stewart typw, ask your mom or your sister or a friend for some help. If you make your apartment your own, it will feel more like a real home.
So, Big Girl, enjoy your new place.
~ Wild Banshee
If you have a burning question, please Ask Banshee.
