I spend many Sundays holed up on my own, pjs, tv, and a textbook. I even sometimes ignore my beeping cell phone. And honestly, as great as it is to be *alone*, I look back on those Sundays and realize I was lonely. Sometimes I think if I called someone, suggested plans, or got off the couch, I’d be less inclined to enter the Sunday slump.

I never did stuff like this when I had a roommate…I don’t think there was the opportunity to *escape* unless they were out of town. But things like moving away, grad school, and independence have me stuck thinking that living alone is indeed awesome. And sometimes it is. Dancing to Britney in my undies, having everything in *its* place, not fighting over what’s on tv…is all great. However, I hate not having someone to have dinner with, to decide 2 am pizza is totally a good idea, or the instant person to plan a hot night out or cry about the latest jerkface to.

But your “out of sight, out of mind” comment strikes a chord. If I’m home alone, no one knows I’m lonely. No one knows that my feelings are hurt when my so-called good classmate friends have abandoned me for boyfriends and co-habitory bliss. No one knows what I don’t want them to know. I can avoid at my leisure, because, well no one sees what I’m doing.

Maybe we’d all be more accountable, but 5 years into my living alone, I wonder if I’d be able to live with someone just to have them around.

And I did LOL at your Starbucks comment–sure the coffee is bad, but that’s a small price to pay when someone knows your name and doesn’t judge you when you order something fat free, sugar free, and caffeine free.

The secret to the well-balanced, independent life is to form your own community…a family away from your real family. And one you chose, since genetics doesn’t let you pick who you’re related too