Apartment-Sick




This past year, I had my own 1-bedroom apartment in Delaware. I had had bad experiences with roommates in the past, so for senior year I decided to pay the $100 more that it would cost me to live alone in a 600 square foot apartment, and it was the best decision of my life.

The building itself was a giant cement cube with windows. You probably think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not. That's exactly how I described the place to everyone on campus and they always knew which building I was talking about. It looked like a crack den from the outside. 

However, inside had just been remodeled. The wood floors were refinished, the cabinets were replaced, and overall it was pretty nice. The windows had a draft and you had to jiggle the handle on the toilet after you flushed but it was good enough for a college student. 



Since it was totally my own apartment I had to come up with furniture entirely on my own. I already had a bed, desk, and dresser from Ikea but that was it. Luckily I have very giving friends and family. My friends grandma was moving so she gave me her kitchen table and chairs, my aunt donated a rolling filing cabinet that I used as a bar cart, I used an old bench as a coffee table, bought a used armchair for $15 and bought a futon from target that was 50% off. All decorations were DIY besides a tapestry I had bought in Portland. It was shabby and mismatched but it was all mine. 

When I moved out two months ago I cried. That apartment had held massive parties, double dates, sorority events, and been the perfect home for a year. I had never felt so emotionally attached to a home in my life. Even my parents house doesn't feel as much like home as that apartment does. 



I'm now living across the country in a tiny company-owned studio apartment with my boyfriend and I feel so apartment-sick. It feels like being home-sick, but is also accompanied by the overwhelming dread of knowing that I will never see that place again, because it's no loger mine to call home. I hope that soon I'll be living in an apartment that I can decorate and call home again, but I think I'll always have a place in my heart for my first apartment back in Delaware. 

Unknown

My name is Liz and I'm a 22 year old with a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation. I love beer and fashion and exploring the outdoors, and am currently figuring out how to do all of the above on a post-grad budget.

19 comments:

  1. I totally understand! I had my own apartment while I was in grad school and while I love living with my husband, we are in an apartment that was his first. I'm looking forward to having a place to decorate and call ours.

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    1. I can't even imagine living somewhere decorated by my boyfriend haha

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  2. I have the same feeling to my first real apartment. I was lucky and had an amazing room mate. We lived together for five years. We lived there so long we were able to get the carpet replaced for free. The day I got married and moved out was the saddest day of my life. We cried in our old living room for an hour. I completely understand that pain. :/

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    1. It's so comforting to hear how many people have had similar experiences! I wish none of us had to leave, but I know it makes us appreciate it more.

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  3. I totally lived alone after living with roommates and I adored it. I loved being able to make my space my own <3

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  4. aww! that apartment was so cute! I understand this! I have been apartment sick for my on campus apartment lately! someday we'll have cute little places to decorate again :)

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    1. Thank you! I can't wait to have an apartment again.

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  5. Aww I know this feeling well! I feel the same way about the first townhome my husband and I lived in. It was the first place we lived together, where we got engaged, where I planned our wedding, where we lived together married, and also where I graduated from school, started my own business... on and on and on.

    I know you can never go back but I hope you have a ton of pictures to go along with all of those wonderful memories of your old place! It does sound amazing. I hope you'll be in a new apartment soon that will make you feel more at home!

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    1. I can't even imagine having all of those memories in one home! And thank you, I hope so too.

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  6. I love the way you decorate. Nice touch with the refurbished bar cart. Roommates can be hit or miss, but nothing replaces that piece of mind of having your own space. I'm so glad you had this experience.

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  7. I know how you feel! When I moved out of the two places I lived at while at college, I cried. I had so many memories with my sorority sisters, parties, etc, I felt like I was losing a piece of me. Hopefully you won't be as homesick as time goes by.

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    1. I'm sorry to hear that, but it's comforting to know so many people had similar experiences. & thank you, I hope so!

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  8. Awe. It sounds like you had a great space, and the perfect place to call your own. You will find it again. It may not be as special as your first place, but you will get there.

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  9. I so relate to this post! I once paid extra to avoid having a dormmate and it was absolutely the best decision for me at the time. Now looking back I wish I had tried it for one semester, but oh well. I still think about my first apartment sometimes. So many memories of parties and mischief. This made me a little nostalgic! =)

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    1. Having a space to yourself is the absolute best!

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  10. I know the feeling. I was really attached to our place in Phx. It was such a great place with just amount of storage. We compare our new apt to it all the time. It's tough to make a new place feel like home. It takes a while.

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