I first made the decision to move out this past spring. After I’d completed my first year at University, I realized that my chosen area of study might not be what I want to pursue as a career; I still have some self-discovery ahead of me before I figure that out. The one thing I’ve been completely sure of for a long time now is how much I need to be independent. Living with one’s parents is a privilege many young people don’t have, but it’s hard to live and act as an adult when everything is already provided-for. I would find myself slipping into lazy habits and procrastinating no matter how many times I’d try to change. Living in a small town didn’t help, where most of my neighbours were either older or younger, and my friends were busy in school. So, I stopped spending on unnecessary things, worked more, and put aside money for rent, groceries, and other expenses. I started browsing advertisements online to get a sense for the rental market, and when I felt I had a decent chunk of savings to work with, I started searching for a place of my own.

I cannot say enough how important it is to keep checking those websites every day. Every day. Every few hours even, if possible. That way, you’ll see something new as soon as it comes up. The rental market isn’t at its best right now, so most of the time, anything available will be rented within a few days of it being advertised to the website. I’m still amazed I managed to find the place that I did. I can’t help but think it was just meant for me to find, and that God led me to it!

Originally I’d planned to stay at home at least until the winter, but this place came up and the day I went to check it out I knew it was for me. I’d be moving in, mid-October  — and that was a bit of a shock — but you have to make exceptions sometimes, you know?

Luckily I’d begun collecting household items early on in the summer, mainly from thrift shops and what I could find at the Dollar store (which by the way, is an amazing place for decent kitchenware — I’ll post about this later). By the time October arrived I had almost everything I would need. My suite was already furnished so all I had to bring was a table and some extra storage, as well as a toaster-oven and hotplate for the kitchenette, and my dishes. Clothes, bedding, household supplies and other miscellaneous belongings were easy to pack up and my family helped me transport everything over on Sunday morning.

It’s only my third full day here on my own, but it’s already feeling like home. I can’t wait to see what the next few months will bring!