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when did you move out of parents house? | pad patter 10.14.20

I went off to college at age 18, but spent summers at home. I finished college in 4 years plus one summer. My husband (who was my boyfriend at the time) packed all my college stuff up and moved me from Michigan to Kentucky without me having a job. There I slept on his sister's floor (illegally) in the boarding house until her boyfriend went to visit his parents and then I stayed at his apartment. Fortunately, I found a job and my own apartment in that first month. I was 22. We got married when I was 23.

Now what I thought this question was really asking was --- when did I finally get all of my stuff out of my parent's house? I would have to answer that with maybe when I was 35? My parents were moving and they made me come get all of my childhood toys. I still have my Barbies and my rock collection.
 
I commuted to college from my parents' house (about a 20 minute drive) through the 4 years earning my bachelor's degree and 2 more years to get my teaching credential. Both at San Diego State University. I met my husband just before that last year and immediately upon finishing my last semester moved out of my parents' house, 150 miles north, to live in Robert's bachelor pad in Studio City (Los Angeles). I wasn't the only one eager for the move. My Dad packed up my furniture and stuff on his own while I was working a shift at the department store job I had all through college, and drove it up to Robert's apartment, where I was spending the weekend with him a week or so earlier (my bed stayed at my parents' house, so I still had a place to sleep before the final move).

Living in Robert's bachelor pad only lasted 9 months; then we found an apartment together in downtown Glendale. I loved living in that area, being able to walk to so many restaurants, stores, the post office, the YMCA, etc, that I've made scrapbook pages about it. We got married a year after I moved up to live with him. We had been engaged since 4 months after we met and might have married a year earlier, but there were venue scheduling conflicts and other issues I barely remember.

So I lived with my parents until I was 23 years 6 months. I've lived with my husband for over 25 years. It's kind of an awesome thought. I mean, obvious, but still amazing when I think about it. Because most of the 25 years I've been busy with life (teaching, raising homeschooled kids) and not realizing how much time was passing.

I've never lived alone but if circumstances would have been different, like not having met my husband when I did, I probably would have moved out on my own as soon as I could afford it. My Dad had started charging me rent and I had to pay for car insurance and most everything except food by late college anyway, and we didn't have a good relationship. But I don't mind not having ever lived alone, even though I'm an introvert. My husband and I both respect each other's independence, and since having young children I've learned very well how to find time alone regularly for my mental health.

Speaking of which, my three teens all deal with depression and anxiety, and with the current economy and the pandemic, I think it makes a lot of sense for young adults to live with their parents into their 20's and even 30's, or even longer (I have a friend my age 48 who still lives with her parents). If people get along comfortably and want to live together, why not? Even if the economy were better and there wasn't a pandemic, I wouldn't be kicking my kids out. I enjoy having them around and would love to have more time with them close by. One of my kids is planning to move to Canada (seriously) so I might not get to see much of them someday. I won't begrudge them -- after all, I moved 3000 miles across the country from my parents 5 years after moving out of their house -- but I will treasure all the time we do have together.

Just pasted this in to my Day One journal to check the word count (557) and see it qualifies for this month's journaling challenge. :lol2 Alas, I already completed that one.
 
I was 21 because it was the summer after my junior year of college & instead of going home for the summer, I stayed there and worked my part-time job and hung around. I think my two roommates lived there various parts of the summer but not the entire summer like I did?

I have lived with them again since --- for 3 months after my divorce in 2006 and for 2 months after living in Wyoming for the summer of 2015.
 
After highschool - i went into student housing in a different part of the state because the idea of commuting approx 2hrs each way really wasn't appealing!
 
I had just turned 18. Went to college for one year and lived in a dorm. Then married my hubby a year later just before I turned 19.
 
I went away to college and lived on campus for 4 years and in an apartment by myself for 1 year. I came home for Christmas and in the summers to work. I got married 3 weeks after college graduation and moved out for good then.
 
I went away to college at 18 (a couple hours away from home) and lived in the dorms for 2 years. Then, I changed schools and moved back home for those last 2 years. In the middle of my senior year of college, I was living with my boyfriend and by spring of the next year, I had a full time job and got an apartment on my own. I was 23 years old then.

Oohh it was hard when I think about it, but I was determined. I only made like $10 an hour at publishing and digital media company. I would go to my parents house on Sundays to hang out and get at least 2-3 meals for the week. I had enough money for rent, bills, and gas and that was it.
 
My parents are more traditional in the sense that they only allow their daughters to move out when we are married. So I've lived with them until the middle of March this year, 2 days after marrying my husband. However, our rental house is just 10 minutes away from my parents' so I still get to drop by often. Hehe.
 
I left home at 17 to go to Uni, a year earlier than planned, I got accepted early and was ready to be free! LOL. My parents are awesome and I've been back at their house a couple of times through the years, but was happy to leave when I did, I learnt so much. I think they were happy about it too, because I am a SLOB!!
 
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