Who better to talk about postgraduate living situations than four post-grads?
One of the most exhilarating feelings as a young adult is to move out of your family's home and into your own space. It doesn't have to be big or fancy, it just has to be yours.
I got extremely lucky that throughout college I had the opportunity to live with three of my best friends, @annawilss, @julsmess, and @sarahhnielsenn, who quickly became my family.
After graduating from college, my three roommates all went from our college home back to their family homes. I am the only one in a different position, so I thought this would be a unique opportunity to do a group Conversation Corner about the transition from college living situations to family living situations.
As I stated last week, the Conversation Corner has one rule: it will always be real. No B.S., because quite frankly there is enough of that already on the internet.
So here we go...
DD: Tell me about going from living with your best friends in college to graduating and moving back home?
AW: “It has definitely been a shock to the system. When you come home you’re sorta not an adult anymore, but at the same time - you are. It’s a weird juxtaposition and an adjustment period for sure. While it’s strange, knowing it is temporary has allowed me to lean into it, and enjoy all the positives of living at home.”
JM: “I miss living with you guys so much. But, it has been nice to be able to save money and have a roof over my head. I’ve been able to road trip around the east coast safely, and I’m not sure if I would have been able to have the experience if things were different.”
SN: “What’s nice about living with your friends in college is you’re all on the same page with school, life, etc, and everyone’s pretty much in the same boat with future plans and stuff like that. Especially when the pandemic hit, while it was hard to cope with it was also comforting to know that everyone else was feeling the same way. But after being away from home for most of the past four years, it’s really great to see my family more and spend some time in my hometown."
DD: What’s been the biggest transition to living at home?
SN: “I think the biggest adjustment from moving home after college for me has been a decrease in independence. While it’s great getting to spend more time with my parents, always having a fully stocked fridge, and home-cooked meals on the daily, there are a lot of things I could do living on my own - such as midnight ice cream runs or jetting off to sunrise at the beach with the roomies - that now would warrant tons of questions/explanations of my whereabouts."
JM: “It’s definitely been more isolating. Also, although we were all being extremely cautious during quarantine, there's an added pressure when living with your family to be extra safe."
AW: “I like living at home for so many reasons, especially being back in NY again. But the biggest difference for me would be that there aren’t those magic little moments you have with your best friends every day. There is so much joy living with your best friends in college, and you become so close that you do become a family. So while I’m loving being with my real fam, I’m definitely missing my sister fam."
DD: What’s "College Fomo (fear of missing out)" for you?
AW: “I think college FOMO for me are those moments of joy we shared together on the daily ... Us all getting ready together; dancing and blasting music, making dinner together, every night, and just sharing our days together."
JM: “I totally miss a solid Thursday night out, I could do with one more of those!"
(Me too Jul, me too.)
SN: "I definitely miss the bustle of everyone always rushing in and out the door every day for classes and work and stuff, getting ready together for a night out + hungover Sundays, beach days, happy hours, impromptu grocery store runs, and sunrises and sunsets."
DD: Now for our final question of each interview, what now?
JM: “No idea. Quarantine has given me the chance to work on a new venture with my boyfriend it’s called @lineinthesanddesign. I don’t think I would have had this much time to focus on it if it weren’t for the pandemic. Definitely a Corona baby.”
AW: “I’m totally taking it day by day. I think time is an illusion, I feel like there is no set path or time frame for anyone, regardless of what some people might try to convince you of. That’s especially coming to light these days, with it being so hard to make plans, or to have a clear vision for yourself when everything is so uncertain. I was supposed to go to Australia, but due to Covid restrictions there, I’m now planning to pursue graphic design school in NYC. I’m also working on some projects and doing some commissions in the meantime. Most of all, I’m trying to enjoy this weird ride we're all on now.”
SN: “My post-grad plans all involved traveling after the summer of senior year which has been put on hold for the time being with flying restrictions. I was going to live in Hawaii for a year and was looking into teaching English abroad for the next school year in August - I didn’t get to travel abroad during college so this was going to be my time to do that before going to graduate school. So hopefully it will be safe to travel again in order to do that, but in the meantime, I’ll be working temporarily near Charlotte!"
XO