Living Alone

After four years of living in dingy, overpriced jail cells masquerading as “affordable student housing,” populated by strangers and their significant others, I was more than ready to move into my own luxurious bachelor pad. Of course, living with roommates had its upsides — there was never a boring or lonely day of the week, and the fridge was always stocked with food (of questionable edibility) — but having my own space to study, cook, listen to music, and sleep is definitely an upgrade from undergraduate dorm living. I’m responsible for my own cleanliness and it can get quiet at times, but I can sleep at whatever time I want, decorate the walls with whiteboards covered in biochemical pathways, and eat ice cream for dinner without catching any judgmental glares. Rent is cheap throughout St. Louis, and I’ve never felt like I was breaking the bank by living alone in a one-bedroom apartment. My family visited for a laid-back holiday vacation and it was very convenient for them to have a place to stay. And with such an engaging med school curriculum and plenty of face-to-face time with classmates in and out of class, living alone is far from reclusive.