i've weighed some pros and cons...any thoughts?

ladies, i'm more interested in your feedback in regards to safety issues

thanks!

4/26/2010 6:20:24 PM

4/26/2010 6:22:11 PM

i've lived by myself for 3 years

love it

at first i was a little hesitant but i don't feel unsafe at all.

4/26/2010 6:22:32 PM

I'd go crazy, for one.

4/26/2010 6:22:38 PM

love love love it

after living with roommates for three years, being alone (plus the dog) is such a welcome change

no more putting up with other peoples nonsense ftw

4/26/2010 6:23:42 PM

living alone is awesome

get a big dog if you're skurred

4/26/2010 6:25:28 PM

I've been living by myself for the last 10 years. The older I get the lonelier it gets, but at this point I'm much to ornery to share my living space with anyone I'm not having sex with.

4/26/2010 6:25:32 PM

up until recently (like a week ago) i've been living by myself for 6 years. i loved it! it was nice to come home to my own messes (or cleanliness), didn't have to worry about people being over if i didn't want any noise, or having people over without having to ask.

i always felt safe....then again i lived in a safe area on the 2nd floor. if youre concerned about safety, find places with an alarm system or even just so the doors and windows beep if they are opened/closed.

where are you looking to live? it makes a difference in area and also how big of a place you're looking at.

4/26/2010 6:26:17 PM

everybody should live alone for a while

4/26/2010 6:27:12 PM

4/26/2010 6:29:16 PM

living by yourself is the tits

I can't wait until I'm living by myself again. Putting up with other people's shit sucks.... bad.
And you don't realize this, until you've lived by yourself.

4/26/2010 6:29:41 PM

also, this^

4/26/2010 6:30:50 PM

not coming home to a mess/coming home only to my mess is one of the biggest pros

safety is a concern though...and i do want to get a dog so that is going into consideration when looking at places...i know having one will make me feel safer and just be an added companion

so far i'm checking out the cameron village condos and cottages on grant/chester...i'd LOVE to live in one of the townhouses in like the nichols, bellwood area but unless i have a roomie it's just not affordable right now...

4/26/2010 6:31:34 PM

i currently live by myself, but i'm probably moving in w/ a friend come july. i love living by myself but i'll save $200+/month in rent, which seems worth it.

4/26/2010 6:34:05 PM

i just sent you a PM. my place in the area you're looking for is up for rent.

4/26/2010 6:35:29 PM

lived by myself for the last 5+ years and it is AWESOME

also, i've never felt unsafe. i mean, just don't live in anyplace you wouldn't live even if you had roomates. i mean, do you really think your roomates would have protected you from an intruder? no, they would have been scared/run like hell most likely.

if you are lonely, get a pet. start with fish. work up.

4/26/2010 6:37:38 PM

lived by myself (plus my dogs and cats) for the past 5 years.... much prefer to the bullshit i went through with roommates.

if you can afford it...i say....be a loner!

4/26/2010 6:38:46 PM

i'd imagine i'll feel safer when I'm living by myself....however roommates are fun, especially when they foot the larger portion of the bills

4/26/2010 6:39:19 PM

i was never really lonely though when i lived by myself. being so close to downtown, friends were more likely to call me to ask me out for some evening drinks or to hang out since i was so close to the bars.

4/26/2010 6:39:38 PM

living alone is great but having a house with good room mates owns hard and can't be beat

4/26/2010 6:41:25 PM

I've been living by myself for the last 6 months, and in all reality I have mixed feelings about it. Yeah, it gets lonely from time to time. I have my cats and my dog, but even so, it's still kind of lonely. And of course it costs more.

I think I would like it better if my place were a little bigger and out in the country somewhere. And if I owned it.

4/26/2010 6:42:47 PM

Right now the cost of living alone is what would compel me to seek out roommates again. I enjoy the freedom and flexibility to do what I want, when I want but the savings might make up for having to deal with someone else. Not counting my ex, my last roommate totally kicked ass and would live with him again in a second if I ever lived in Raleigh again. Sadly, I am still exiled to Siberia (Greensboro) so I may just go it alone for a bit longer.

4/26/2010 7:40:42 PM

Quote :

" so far i'm checking out the cameron village condos and cottages on grant/chester"

Not sure about the places on Grant or Chester, but if you're talking about the Cameron Village condos on Daniels, I lived there (by myself of course, they're small) for 3 years. Nice places (if you can live with having a single-point A/C system), great area, always felt safe--don't get many sketchy folks up that way.

4/26/2010 7:48:19 PM

get a gun

4/26/2010 8:09:55 PM

When I lived alone it was awesome. Great to have my own shit, style, time to do whatever I want.

But it also got boring so I spent a lot of time with friends. Also, someone tried to break into my apt while I was at work and someone broke into the new bf's car overnight. It was time to get out of there. Less than a month after I moved a meth lab exploded in that building.......................

4/26/2010 8:18:32 PM

i love living alone but fuck it can be expensive. i'm trying to live alone again asap, but apartments around here (charlotte) are way too high for a decent place and i can't convince myself to pull the trigger on a house. ughhh.

4/26/2010 8:19:08 PM

Lived alone for 2.5 years--loved it! Never felt unsafe, but I also have a dog. I lived in a townhouse.

Funny enough when I lived alone I felt 100% safe all the time. It's weekends when my husband goes on a trip and I'm alone that I'm uneasy about. Still can't figure what that's all about

4/26/2010 8:19:59 PM

I'm getting ready to live by myself for the first time EVA!

I'm excited...got a 1 bedroom flat for my and my dog right near Glenwood South.

I'll let you know how it goes...if I'm sober enough to remember!

4/26/2010 8:22:35 PM

If you're skuurred get a dog.

4/26/2010 8:50:48 PM

I loved living by myself. My last roommate was a friend/coworker and it was much better when we only hung out outside of work once every week or two. It's been nice to have the apartment to myself for the past month since I helped him move to downtown Chicago.

I think I would like being by myself again if I had a dog or cat, but I can barely feed myself much less take care of an animal when working long days.

4/26/2010 8:51:30 PM

I too will be living by myself for the first time ever come this august. I'm pretty excited about it. I can now sing in the shower as loud as I want at whatever time I feel like

4/26/2010 9:00:33 PM

Other perks is never having to shut any doors in the house. Also, sitting naked on the couch as opposed to in boxers is nice too.

4/26/2010 9:02:14 PM

I am looking forward to constant naked time as well. fuck clothes.

4/26/2010 9:04:32 PM

i'm definitely paying several hundred more in rent to be in what i consider to be a safe area. other than that it is THE GREATEST THING EVER!!

4/26/2010 9:27:40 PM

Only roommate you will ever need

4/26/2010 9:31:02 PM

I'll be moving into my own one-bedroom apartment in a few weeks and I, too, am excited about the constant nudity. Only problem is, its ground level and I like natural light, so that could be an issue

4/26/2010 11:26:16 PM

i'm bout to start living alone, i will not have cable or internet so i can read more and do more productive things when im at home

should be swell

the last time i lived alone i was very clean and disciplined, unfortunately some friends moved in withing a month and ruined everything

get your own place, it is essential part of growing up

[Edited on April 26, 2010 at 11:44 PM. Reason : .]

4/26/2010 11:43:03 PM

Had room mates for four years. Just got my own place in January and I love it. Took a little adjusting at first, but now I would never go back. I keep and M4 under my bed just in case something goes bump in the night

4/26/2010 11:51:05 PM

just dont forget to get one of these

you can live alone, without ever being alone

4/27/2010 1:18:36 AM

As long as AJ isn't breaking in, you should be fine.

4/27/2010 1:23:19 AM

besides $$$ living by yourself is superior in every way

if you have friends it isn't lonely. invite friends over, hang out, eventually friends have to leave...profit

or don't be a hermit and actually GO somewhere.

living by yourself FTW

4/27/2010 2:03:02 AM

Wow. Jammngurl16 and Beckers in one thread? I had to check the timestamps to make sure it wasn't 2005 again. It's like a reunion of TWW old school crushable chicks.

4/27/2010 2:07:50 AM

smooth

4/27/2010 2:09:00 AM

Quote :

" i mean, do you really think your roomates would have protected you from an intruder? no, they would have been scared/run like hell most likely."

no, your roommates aren't likely to suddenly become action heroes and save you. But their numbers and presence can deter criminals in a lot of ways. I hope you were just being halfway serious with that comment.


If you want a dog for protection, think about breed and personality. A dog that loves everyone is not a good guard dog (regardless of how big they are). You want a dog that will at least bark (enough to wake you) if someone unknown is in the house or right outside of it, not run up and lick them. A big dog will be more of an initial deterrent, but I personally think a medium sized dog that is very protective would be more beneficial than a big, lovable lug. Of course, a big protective dog would have the best of both worlds.

4/27/2010 4:27:10 AM

Safety comes in 9 pellet nuggets from the muzzle of a 12 gauge shotgun or, at the very least, some 9mm nuggets from a Glock.


Seriously, a reliable 12 gauge shotgun can be found for under $200. If you have a bit more to spend, you can end up with a really, really nasty self defense weapon. Just keep in mind that you need to train with it and keep it where it's easily accessed when you're home.


Of course, I always recommend more than just one gun. You need backup weapons, so I suggest more than one gun, pepper spray (Dissolving foam though, like Cold Steel's Inferno) and knives. Not shit knives, but good, strong, sharp knives. As far as a self defense knife in your home, I suggest something like a Cold Steel OSS (Dagger) or OSI (Single edge'd version). Each has its advantages but I prefer double edged because in a true life or death situation you will likely go kind of berserk and it is better if you can cut with both sides of the knife. You can't carry those around in NC really, but you can have them at home. Believe me, neither one is something you'd want to be stabbed or slashed with and they can be had for a relatively low cost, especially if you can find left over stock of the AUS8 versions rather than the new San Mai III versions.

Quote :

"A big dog will be more of an initial deterrent"

Once they get through it or get around it, you now have ZERO protection. Don't rely on another individual (Dog, human, etc) for your only measure of protection. Have the capability to protect yourself without the dog as well. If the person is hell bent on getting YOU, they will simply prepare beforehand to handle your dog or circumvent it entirely. Like, you know, wait for you to leave or catch you coming in?

It isn't a bad idea to have a dog, but there isn't any single thing that will completely cover your ass. To properly cover yourself in a various number of situations, you need a combination of things. The goal would be to hopefully give you as early of a warning as possible so you aren't taken completely by surprise. If the early warning systems do not deter the individual, they still allow you some precious time to prepare your self defense tools and to hopefully get into an advantageous position.


You should also be prepared to defend yourself AWAY from your home and when walking to and from your car. Most people are extremely vulnerable when they pull up to their home or when leaving their home. Their defenses shut down, they feel safe and they don't have any SA. Often you're in a hurry as well or your mind is simply elsewhere. That makes you vulnerable and the dog is going to do NOTHING if you are attacked at that time.

4/27/2010 4:47:12 AM

I've always enjoyed having roommates, mostly because I don't really own any furniture, dishes, appliances, or televisions, and am too poor to afford any.

I know several girls who live alone, none of whom have ever expressed any more fear about where they live than the girls I know who have roommates. As with anything, find a safe area and neighbors who seem alright. And a dog never hurts.

4/27/2010 5:16:50 AM

I'd argue that most people "feel safe". That doesn't mean a whole lot, but they feel it son.

A lot of people claim to "feel god" too, hah. Dumbasses.

4/27/2010 5:39:17 AM

yeah, i'm not too worried about getting lonely...i'm at work 8 hours of the day, and usually out of the house working out, running errands, or grabbing dinner/drinks after work and on the weekends. and then when i do want time to myself i have that luxury ( i too am a fan of naked time)

safety is really my biggest concern...i'm not too thrilled about the idea of owning a gun, even though i do know how to use one...i think a dog who knows the difference between friends and enemies and a baseball bat should do the trick

the places i'm looking at are in safe neighborhoods (around cameron village)...i guess it's just first time worries and the fact that i'm a young female...you never know who could be lurking...especially coming in late

4/27/2010 9:23:25 AM

I haven't read anything ITT yet, by my 2c: If you can afford to live by yourself, and don't mind not having someone there alot of the time (some people need that companionship), then it is the best option. I personally can go either way, as long as you have an open line of communication with whoever you are living with. Passive agressiveness/avoidance is a shitty way to treat a "friend," and is ultimately why I liked living w/o roommates

4/27/2010 9:27:04 AM

much easier to make booty calls

4/27/2010 9:28:17 AM