Moving away from home at any age is one of the biggest decisions someone can take. It was for me.
I was 20 years of age and didn’t know how to be fully independent. I could just about make oven pizza, although I nearly burnt my house down a few times in the process of making them (3rd time lucky).
All I knew was that I wanted to get out of the house the first chance I had. I wanted that freedom so bad. Even though I wasn’t really restricted in my own house.
Something about moving out on my own just excited me. So I decided university would be my best chance of making that happen.
I lived in Belfast so I didn’t see the point of living in my own city and paying rent just to go to university, when I could easily live at home and have more money.
If I was going to move out then it was going to be a good distance away. In my mind I had a few options in my head, but in my heart I knew exactly where I wanted to go.
Liverpool.
A few mates had been there the years previous and after seeing them over the course of a weekend I knew that’s where I wanted to go.
So off I went to live and study in Liverpool for 3 years.
Now don’t get me wrong, Liverpool isn’t the other side of the world and the fact that half of the city seem to be Irish does help.
Although I wouldn’t say those were the reasons for me staying.
Anyway, enough about my story of moving away from home, I’m sure you want to know some useful information instead.
How about we talk about the pros and cons first, then I’ll give my honest opinion at the end.
Pros
Chance to meet new people
Meeting new people was always a big factor for me when deciding to move away. Moving away is one of the only ways to meet people you otherwise wouldn’t have even spoke to and they can turn out to become friends for life.
I’ll admit you’re going to run into some very strange people at times. They may leave you questioning your own faith in humanity they’re that strange. But for the most part you’re going to meet normal folk.
If you’re more of an introverted person and find it hard to make the first move then there are alternatives.
Check out if there are local meet up groups or events on by using meet up and event brite.
Maybe you play sport, check for local teams on Facebook and see if you can join.
If you support a team then find out if there are local supporters clubs you can sign up to. The opportunities are out there you just have to look for them!
Personalise your own space
Always held a grudge against your parents because they didn’t let you get that purple polka dot rug for the living room?
Well once you have your own place you can do exactly that ( I can see why they didn’t in fairness).
All jokes aside though, its a great feeling being able to have your own space exactly how you want it.
Learn new skills
When I first moved away from home I thought I was a pretty independent guy who didn’t need to learn too much to survive.
I was so wrong.
I quickly learnt though that a lot of people are like this and that only by jumping in the deep end can you really learn what’s necessary.
I’m talking about basic skills such as money management, washing your clothes, planning and preparing meals for the week.
The list goes on but don’t underestimate the power of these basic but essential skills.
Extra freedom
I don’t really like using the term ‘freedom’ too much as it implies I didn’t have any while living at home, which is far from true.
Although, I must admit that moving from home at such a young age did give me that added sense of freedom.
Going home any hour of the morning with no questions asked.
Coming in hungover and not having to make small talk with various members of the family the morning after.
You get the picture, doing whatever you want really.
Cons
It may not work out
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but yes, it all may end in failure.
You may suddenly leave home and realise you can’t stand the thought of not seeing friends and family for months on end.
Maybe you leave for university and live with people who just aren’t your type of crowd (remember the weirdos I talked about earlier?)
I’ve seen it happen first hand. Some people just don’t cope very well.
But there are no certainties in life so don’t let the fear of failure put you off.
More responsibilities
Is this a con?
I mean we all have responsibilities in some way or another, right?
Well I can see why it would be a con to some people.
If you look at the list of responsibilities for living at home compared to moving out and doing it alone then you’ll see a dramatic increase for sure.
More responsibilities can be rewarding at times but it also gives way for potentially more things to go wrong. Definitely something to think about.
Money Management
Money.
Probably one of the top three problems in most peoples lives.
Except for that Jeff fella who owns Amazon. He definitely doesn’t have money problems like the rest of us.
Anyway enough about Jeff.
When moving out of the house, especially at a young age, your money expenditure is going to go up significantly.
This poses’ two problems.
Firstly, whether you have enough money to sustain your current lifestyle
And secondly, if you can budget the money available to you efficiently.
I’ll admit I was terrible at money management for a long time. I still get it wrong to this day, but I have definitely gotten better.
Take a look at these 10 steps for better managing your money. I found it useful for when I first moved away.
Homesickness
Probably the most common issue people face for when they leave home for the first time.
I think this is something everyone goes through at some stage of their lives.
I know I felt it in the first few months of leaving home. Thankfully it never lasted and I was able to get on with things.
My advice would be to keep yourself busy and try and meet as many new people as you can. If you can kill off the boredom as much as possible I find it helps.
Keep in regular contact with friends and family. With technology these days it’s easy to stay in touch.
My thoughts
Now for the part you probably don’t even care about, my personal view.
Okay maybe I’m being a bit harsh on myself seeing as you’re on my website after all.
The only thing I have to add really is this.
DO IT!
Honestly there isn’t much else to say on the matter for me. I could write a full post on why I think you should do it, but I don’t see the point. Moving away from home at a young age has been the best decision I have ever made.
I have met some of the best people and had the best experiences of my life while living away from home.
Whether you’re thinking of going to university or in a full time job, I’d highly recommended living away from home as soon as you can, even if it is just for a year.
The reward is greater than the risk.