My Apartment Hunt Journey

Months ago I decided that by my birthday I would be in my own place. It was a spur of the moment idea to make a permanent move date and follow through. The idea manifested itself into a desire that soon formed into an obsession. The obsession made me start looking at the places to live surrounding me more seriously. However, that was not be beginning of looking at apartments. Almost a year ago, without an actual date in mind, I started the apartment search.

The very beginning of the apartment search was just for fun. I started with the apartments immediately surrounding the area my parents live in. These were of course expensive. Before I even asked for the price of the smallest one bedroom I knew it was un-affordable. However, I asked and looked around. The more I looked at these places the more dreams of being by myself filled my head.

I imagined having a comfy couch, a nice television, and a blanket covering myself as I drifted off to sleep. Who needs to get up and go to the bedroom when they live alone? I envisioned being in a small kitchen cooking a meal fit for one. Contrary to the rumors, I can cook a little bit. I imagined coming home to a quiet and empty house. Then I'd snap out of these imaginations and make my way back to the parents crib. It would be noisy, full of yelling, not enough room to watch television in peace, and just plain nerve racking. Plus the biggest realization came through several different revelations.

One revelation was people continuously coming in and out of my room. I like my space, so this was (and still is) unacceptable. Another realization came when I was scolded about not attending church anymore. The person who brought this up said it as if I was becoming this horrible person that needed to change immediately. I was talked to like a child and that was unacceptable. No one should be scolding me anymore unless they are handing me a paycheck every two weeks. There were many realizations, but the biggest one came when a cousin suggested I move in with her.

While living with family is always better than being on your own in the minds of some people, I made a promise to myself a long time ago. That promise involved moving away from the last horrible roommate I had and finding living by myself. This promise has yet to be filled. In fact no one has respected my idea of living alone (except for maybe my best friend.) So when that cousin suggested I move in with her, I absolutely knew it would never happen. Nope, I have to respect this promise I made to myself and it's close to being accomplished.

In the last couple of months I've searched hard, argued with parents over areas I was looking in, got tired, gave up, and recently found the energy to start again. I'm really seeing a few nice places in my price range that I love. I'm almost ready to make a decision.

I started this search on my own and have done pretty well by myself. There have been arguments with the parents over areas to live in. They'd rather me live with them forever because I can't afford to live within their ideas of perfect places. Shoot, maybe I just don't want to. I've spoken with random people about the hunt and gotten ideas from them. I've tried to take all of these ideas and add my parents safety tips to the equation. Plus I've noticed that whether the places are extremely expensive or on the cheap side, they all look alike (plus or minus a few details.)

The hugest revelation has been the fact of knowing once I sign a lease a one-bedroom apartment will have my name of it for a year. It won't be in my father's name, or my mother's name. My brothers won't be residents there and neither will cousins, aunts, uncles, grannies. Hell, I might opt out on having visitors the whole time I live there. Well, whatever I do it will be my own place, my bills, my comfort, and most importantly my sanity. I'm looking forward to this.