All the things you recognize when you've been living alone for a very long time

It has been seven years since I moved out on my own this year. Actually out of necessity, because when I was living at home at the age of 23 because the man I was sure we would soon live together with suddenly ended our relationship, it suddenly felt very silly to continue living in my parents' attic room. So I rolled up my sleeves and found a cozy little apartment in the center within two months where I still live now. In the meantime, I have fully embraced living alone and living together is really a far-from-my-bed-show that I am not ready for at all. Partly because I am so used to coming home to a quiet house and partly because I have developed certain habits that would drive any potential housemate screaming out of the house. You will only recognize the following things if you have been living completely on your own for a while.

1. You pee with the door open. Or actually, you do everything with all the doors open: toilet visits, showering, bathroom concerts... No one hears you: wonderful!

2. You leave things lying around that you would immediately tidy up if others were nearby. This manifests itself in dirty dishes, laundry, and bags from random stores. Oh well, what does it matter, you are the only one causing the mess anyway. It is a bit of a shame that you are also automatically the only one who has to clean it up.

3. You maintain a special routine. I am convinced that if I were to live together, I would have my life much better organized. Now that I live alone, leftovers from dinner sometimes become breakfast the next day, and dinner is sometimes just a sandwich with peanut butter. Who is going to say anything about that?

4. You talk to yourself all day long. My inner dialogue is now spoken out loud, otherwise I just can't get my things in order. It may sound a bit strange, but I and myself really have a great time together.

5. On days when you don't do that, you sound super hoarse at the supermarket checkout because you haven't talked to anyone since 4 PM.

6. Your sleep rhythm is completely out of whack. Or maybe I am just irresponsible when it comes to getting enough sleep, that could be it too. But if no one tells me to go to bed, you can be sure that I will watch at least one extra episode of my series before I actually go to sleep.

7. The same goes for sleeping in. No one thinks you should get up? Just turn over and enjoy a little longer.

8. No one interferes with your decor, so you can implement any interior change immediately without discussion. Unfortunately, you see a different brilliant idea on Pinterest every week, so your bank account is now a little less happy with you.

9. Speaking of money: living alone is so expensive. How many times I have thrown away groceries because I misjudged the expiration date and I can't eat everything myself in three days is countless. After I complain about my empty bank account for exactly that reason, I order a round of Thuisbezorgd without blinking. No one needs to know.

10. Okay, my bank account is crying now, because ordering clothes is so easy when there is no one to call you out on the fact that five packages arrive in one day. For now, that is just something between me and Lucas from the PostNL delivery service.