I don't mean to put a wrench in your plan...but, isn't there a better way?

I found the first article about living on your own in the Pokono Record from April 2008. Written by the Carey Brothers, the article took a different look at giving tips to young people about to move out on their own. The article focused on solving common household issues like stopping a leaky toilet which “can be the cause of many a night sleep and a shameful waste of water.” I found the article interesting because it looks from the perspective of how to fix things when they break. Many of the issues they bring up are simple to fix but could cost a young person hundreds of dollars to have a professional complete. In this sense, the Carey brothers not only help the young person to live independently but to keep money in their pockets during our current recession.

I do agree with the writers that the perspective of house maintenance is extremely important to living on your own for the first time. While my blog does not cover this topic at this point, it would be interesting to interview a plumber or an electrician to get their simple fixes for problems. I would also be interested in making a how to video for viewers so they could see exactly what they need to do. One part of the article I did not agree with was the ending (or lack thereof). The article came to its final point and simply ended with no warning to the reader. I half expected to find a second page or a continuation of some sort. If I could add anything to the article, I would explain what each tool does so that the reader knows why they are carrying around a shiny red toolbox.

The second article I found was from Ezinearticles.com, a database of ezine articles that are shared amongst a community of writers. This article, written by Steve C. Boulden, discusses some of the hidden traps that come with living on your own at college. Boulden’s main points are to choose your friends wisely, save your money, and take care of your body’s health. He brings up the issue of choosing college friends and how the wrong friend can spell disaster for a student’s grades because suddenly they are not studying as they should, skipping class and failing exams. This is a good point because I don’t believe many students do realize the impact their friendships have on school. Boulden’s article, while short, provides insightful information and tips that might be helpful to college students.

In general, I agree with the points that Boulden brings up. He maintains that you can be friends with anyone you want and spend money as you wish as long as you keep your eyes on the proverbial prize and learn to control urges to spend excessively and outside of your budget. In no way does the author limit the student but rather warns of the consequence that could come from not taking care of your self from all aspects. To add to this story, I would probably interview a few students to get their perspective on how they manage these issues. I would also open up a forum for readers to comment and suggest their own tips to success in school and in their social life.

Journey with me as we enter this Brave New World

The hardest thing for a young person (and their parents too) is to make the move out onto their own whether it be to go to college or just to spread their wings. When some students go to college, lets face it, they get a sort of restricted practice run of truly living on their own. I do give these students kudos because they do in some respects have to balance a budget and time but they never have to go beyond this point. Their meals are generally chosen for them and they don't have to worry about getting to campus early to find parking. A fact I will readily admit is that eventually everyone will have to live on their own. This blog is created for the individual whom is interested in learning more about living on their own or for the person who is making plans to move. My blog beat, called, "Brave New World" is for all the people out there just like me who need the information gathered together. It would have been so much easier had I had a resource that told me how to select a roommate, create and maintain a budget and how to resolve issues involving the community, housemates and school.

One year ago, I moved away from home. For the first time in my life the decisions made had real consequences. The choices I made influenced not only my own life but my roommate's life as well. We spent six months making plans and figuring out how to start out away from home. All of what we learned came from advice from family, friends and not uncommonly, the Internet. We took from all these sources a mish-mash of information others have used and together we found the things we needed and even some things we didn't know we would need (like spatulas and extension cords). The planning we did over the months before move-in day truly helped to relieve some of the stress (although stress is inevitable).