Pros And Cons Of Moving Out Of Your Parents’ Home

Pros And Cons Of Moving Out Of Your Parents’ Home

While the culture abroad is such that you are kinda expected to move out, in India, the traditionalists find it against family values. Sure, who doesn’t love living rent-free? But at the risk of generalisation, most South Asian families don’t facilitate personal freedom. Like in this lockdown, I have been wondering if I should move out and live independently once things get normal. I am still contemplating, the thought has crossed my mind, there is a will but will it be any better?

Do you feel you should experience independent living too? Or are you already living by yourself and wondering if you’re doing alright? It sounds both scary and fun and rightly so. There are pros and cons to it. Depending on your situation and your options, you can decide what is more feasible for you.

Pros Of Moving Out Of Your Parents’ Home

1) You will learn to be self-dependent and a decision-maker

From remembering bill due dates to keeping a track of how much detergent is left, you have to do it all by yourself. Even if you do have a cook, you will have to decide each day’s menu, take care of refilling groceries, etc, and also pay for everything. You will learn to budget, cook, clean, and make sound decisions, most times. Living by yourself can teach you important life skills.

2) There will be time and space to pursue what you want

Does anybody else feel tired by just having to explain things to their parents about what you want to do and why? Like I am planning to start my online belly dance classes and I don’t want the hassle to tell my fam about it, answer a hundred questions on it and somehow manage to keep them out of my room during it. I might as well set up a website with FAQs and guidelines – who knows that can be easier. When you live by yourself, you have more time to kill and you’re living on your own terms.

3) You will get an opportunity to experience love and sex more freely

If it were up to brown parents, we’d have no inkling of romance in our lives. Okay, it’s not like I have a lover on the side just waiting to give me sexy time. In my dreams, maybe. In reality? I know staying with my parents isn’t the reason I am not having sex. But I would still like to have that option. You can call your love interest over, spend some quality time watching Avengers, and devouring empty calories. Home dates are so much better than going out all the time.

4) You can party or be a couch potato – without judgement

Each time my grandmother walks in my room and sees my lying down purposelessly watching something on TV, she asks if I am well. Yes and I can be lazy without being sick. Whether you want to be a social butterfly or a couch potato – you will have the space to bloom into who you really are, without being answerable to anyone.

5) Being alone won’t scare you

It’s a myth that once you move out, you will be living ‘the life’ and having parties 24/7. Nope, it’s your budget apartment not a casino in Vegas. And that isn’t advisable either. You will be by yourself several times, and you will learn to love solitude. You will discover you can do things on your own and that’s a life skill everyone must possess.

ALSO READ: Sex During Lockdown Between People Who Don’t Live Together Made Illegal In UK. Excuse Me, Indian Parents Always Considered It A Crime

Cons Of Moving Out Of Your Parents’ Home

1) It comes with a price

There’s rent, the deposit, brokerage, bills, groceries, and furnishing. All this will cost you a lot but also depends on where you live. Of course, you will think of all that money you could save by just living with your parents. There’s no fun in being in debt and broke all the time. So move out only if you are earning enough to be able to afford it.

2) The sudden responsibilities can get overwhelming

It’s not easy to manage house and work duties. It can get overwhelming when you first start out, especially because several things will be new to you. But we will have to start adulating at some point. See if you’re ready for it.

3) You may feel lonely

It will be tough staying away from your family and your pets. You will feel displaced from your comfort zone and you will suddenly find yourself with more alone time than you’re used to.

4) Your flatmates may or may not be cool

If they are cool, you’re lucky. If you’re living alone, you’re lucky and rich. But if your flatmates suck, I don’t see the point of leaving one set of annoying people you’ve grown to love to another set that is just irritating.

ALSO READ: 7 Things You Will Relate To If Chai Is Your Jaan And You Can’t Live Without It

5) The ramifications of regretful decisions will be all yours

Nobody is going to clean up after you. Nobody will remind you to pay bills. You will have to be your own supervisor and avoid falling into a pit of hedonism with the newfound freedom.

Generally speaking, the disadvantages are manageable and you will be able to create a decent healthy life for yourself. However, it’s for you to weigh in and figure what works better. Can you afford it? Are you ready for it?

ALSO READ: Never Have I Ever Review: There Are A Bunch Of Indian Stereotypes But It Raises An Important Point About Indian Parents And Mental Health

Akanksha Narang

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