Today is Moving Day in Quebec. For those who aren’t aware, Moving Day is a tradition where the majority of Quebecers move to their new homes on this day. As a result, most leases in Quebec begin July 1st. It’s not a legal holiday but does fall on Canada Day which is obviously a national holiday.
For me, it’s been a bit over a year and a half since I moved into my own apartment. I didn’t follow the traditional July 1st moving date but instead did a lease transfer in January. Pro tip: avoid moving during -30 degrees weather if you can!
At first, moving out felt amazing. My house is always loud and hectic with my (at the time) 7-year old sister bouncing off the walls. After spending 4 years living on my own in Vancouver during my undergrad, I was ready to officially move out.
But it was my first time living completely on my own with no family or roommates, and I was nervous. Would I get bored? Homesick? Regret my decision? The answers are yes, yes and no!
What I Learned After Moving Out
1) You Get Used to Being Alone
In the beginning, I was worried I would feel lonely living by myself but I love it. There is nothing like being able to turn the TV as high as I want (while respecting neighbours), being able to use the washroom without fighting with my sister or no longer having to debate the chore schedule with my roommates. Now my entire apartment is a space just for me that I can organize, and use as I please.
I’ve had a blast decorating my apartment to suit my tastes and only mine. I invite friends over whenever I want without fear of disrupting anyone else’s study or sleep schedules. And I found an odd freedom that comes with living alone that I always knew I’d like, I just didn’t realize how much!
2) You Need a Hobby
Or at least something to do when TV gets boring. There are only so many Netflix shows and movies to watch. And this is coming from someone who has, at any given time, 15+ active series going on and numerous shows I’m binge-watching on the side.
To balance out my TV viewing habits, I got a membership to a spin studio, b.cycle and commit to going at least once a week (outside of the pandemic). I’ve picked back up one of my favourite hobbies, reading. Most recently I finished So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, a book that articulated so well many of my personal thoughts and feelings as a Black woman. Now I’m currently trying to get back into yoga and adult de-stress colouring, two activities I always loved.
3) It doesn’t mean you can’t visit home or even sleepover at your parents
Whenever I talked to my family and friends about moving out, it always seemed like a final action. My grandmother used to always tell me I was too old to be living at home (at 22). She said I needed to move out and not look back. Ironically, these comments all came from people who have either lived at home until their late 20s or have let their children live at home well into their 30s. But nevertheless, I internalized the comments and began thinking, once I left, there was no looking back; I was on my own.
Turns out, this simply isn’t true.
My sister is still very young so she regularly asks me to come sleepover so we can play. When my cousins from the US come visit and stay at my Mom’s house, I often visit too and sometimes sleepover since we end up hanging out so late! Most recently, during this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, I went home and have spent a few weeks living at my Mom’s. Yes, mostly for the free food and air conditioning, but also for the family time.
When I first moved out, it felt like if I left home I could never return. But I was wrong. There are constant opportunities where going home to visit makes complete sense.
I also now realize that there is no shame in going home. Sometimes it means you miss your family and that’s alright. If I ever get homesick and feel like a hug from my little sister, I don’t hesitate to visit!
I’d love to hear about the things you learnt after moving out. Comment below!