Let's face it, there is a huge difference between living with your parents and living with others of your age. There are pros and cons to both situations and most of us, at some stage, have lived with roommates. Moving out of home is hard, but living with your folks is equally soul-destroying. So here are the differences between living at home and living away.
12) Alarm Clock
There is no way your parents would let you be late for school, work or college. So if your alarm doesn't go off, no worries, you'll get a knock on the door/curtains thrown open/a shout through the door and you'll be on time. Huzzah!
vs.
Your roommates will make their way to college/work without waking you. They assume that you're taking the day off, or maybe you're too tired or hungover to go in today. While they won't be silent, you will indeed sleep through it all and be late. Poo.
11) Breakfast
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Your parents will be worried/will guilt you into eating breakfast, letting you know for the millionth time that it is "the most important meal of the day".
vs.
Coffee, on the way to your destination. If you're lucky, you remembered your to-go coffee cup. But, more than likely, you didn't.
10) Transport
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If you're in a hurry, or really desperate, a family member may just take pity on you and drive you to wherever you need to be. You'll arrive fresh and on-time. Thanks, dad!
vs.
You hopefully won't be late for the bus, as there is another one in twenty minutes and then you'll be too late! Damn it all to Hades.
9) Lunch
A packed lunch, or maybe your parents were kind enough to give you some money for a ~fancy lunch because, after all, you deserve it!
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vs.
A sandwich squashed in the end of your bag, or deciding to spend your bus money on something substantial. It's really a toss up.
8) Study
You'll be forced to study because if there is one moment in time where your head isn't stuck in a book, they will wonder just why you aren't fully utilising every free minute.
vs.
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You'll forget to study until you realise your exams are coming up in a week, just like the rest of the house. Then you'll all whinge together, while pulling all-nighters. The house will just reek of Red Bull 24/7.
7) Dinner
A good hearty meal, usually consisting of potatoes and vegetables, with the special touch that you can't actually replicate in your own meals.
vs.
PIZZA... INDIAN... CHINESE. Any extra tenner you have lying around, any little bit of temptation from your roommates, and you are getting that takeaway.
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6) Cleaning
If you're good, you'll probably help your parents, or be forced to help them. Hoovering, mopping, dishes, washing clothes... It's endless.
vs.
You probably don't have a hoover, you wash dishes as you need them or eat out of the nearest receptacle. You probably don't have a washing machine either so you'll just bide your time until you can go back to the parents' house to wash them.
5) Sex
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Only a special set of parents will freely allow you to bring home a random sexual partner after a night out. A significant other, probably, but not a randomer. Even if you've never breached the subject, you can just picture the shame and mortification on your mother's face, and that's enough to get you out of the mood.
vs.
Everyone else is bringing people home, so you don't feel too bad about it. The only awkwardness is the sounds the house makes at night but it's an old rickety thing, so it's to be expected.
4) Money
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Free food, perhaps free transportation... Sure, that's all you need day to day. If your mammy feels bad for you, she might even throw in a new pair of jeans or a bottle of vodka.
vs.
No money. Everyone is constantly broke. After transport, rent and bills, your food comes last. How depressing is that?
3) Drinking
You can't have a session at home or, if you do, it's not exactly going to be Ibiza in the summertime. A few friends and a few cans and onto the pub then. You'll be told you should be grateful for having somewhere to drink at all!
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vs.
Probably constant. Massive sessions, including random strangers whom no one in your house knows. There will be various bottles leftover, mostly empty, and some lad asleep on the couch. Good night, though.
2) Hangover
They will continue to let you know that it's self-conflicted, that it's your own fault, but then they may take pity on you. If you're lucky, you'll get some tea and toast out of it.
vs.
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Everyone is in the same boat and nobody can help anyone else, so I hope you're stomach isn't dodgy, because there is someone else in there already.
1) Sleeping
Your parents won't tell you to go to bed, but they will sure as hell advise you to go to bed early - because you were so tired yesterday.
vs.
They'll admire how little sleep you give yourself, whilst whinging about how tired you are all the time. Then you might just go for a nap at three in the afternoon, or go to bed at six pm, sure it's nothing to them. That's how you like it.
