Going to school as a full-time student while living alone comes with advantages — and disadvantages.
Three years of living with roommates was a challenge that reached a point where I felt I was walking on eggshells and was contemplating moving out and having my own space.
That changed this past summer when my last roommate moved out, and I got my home back. A huge weight of uneasiness lifted off my shoulders.
I started to think that about going back to school for my final year in the Journalism program at Humber along with paying rent on my own every month and the many other obligations that come with doing it on my own.
I then realized I had to change the way I spent my money and start saving better because I now have more financial responsibilities — like keeping a roof over my head — to worry about. As the last days of summer were coming to an end, I knew that my days of resting and just working were about to change.
Entering my final year in the Journalism program this past September, I didn’t have any days off throughout the weeks because of the extensive hours of my classes along with working four days a week. Sleep became a problem. I wasn’t getting enough because of work, followed by assignments I had to do late into the night.
Dealing with assignments, including interviewing sources for my magazine stories while working a minimum wage job did not help the stress that’s brought on by being an independent student.
OSAP helped with paying my tuition and living expenses for a while. But by October, I was starting to feel the pressure of living by myself and being a student performing a juggling act of balancing school and work. It was starting to get a bit stressful.
By earlier this month, I began to feel the burnout from putting too much pressure on myself, and I got sick and took a day off from work and school because of it.
Living in Toronto is more expensive than it was 10 years ago and being a college student living in one of the country’s most expensive city on my own is challenging.
An increase in rent in the city is making many Torontonians struggle to make ends meet.
The upside to living alone is now having peace and quiet at my home. I don’t have to deal with loud noises waking me up in the middle of the night and having to deal with other people’s messes. I can leave and come home and see my place the same way that I left it.
I’ve got my home back and can be comfortable in my own space, just like the time before I had roommates move in.
Many people ask me if I feel lonely because I am all alone in my apartment. I tell them I prefer it this way.
Those who are used to living in a full household may appreciate the crowd but as someone who likes their space and alone time, I love it.
Being an independent student is tough and comes with many obstacles and responsibilities, but I would not change it for the world. It has taught me a lot about myself, my inner strength, and the mindset that I have as I prepare for the future.