Thinking About the Future

The future has been on my mind a lot lately. Graduation is something that doesn't seem so far away (December 2010!) and the ideas of graduation from college, finding a job that I love, and moving forward with my life are both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

The bad thing is I feel like I will be back-tracking for a while. When my lease is up in May, I'm most likely moving back in with my parents until the time comes of graduation and getting a job in which I can afford to be on my own, for real. It is so tough trying to decide things months in advance. My roommate doesn't graduate until next spring and she's thinking of graduate school so obviously she wants to sign a long lease. But, my parents won't pay my rent after December. I'd hate to sign a lease on the good faith I'll have a decent paying job in 2011 or that I'll be able to save enough money so I won't be broke all the time. I wouldn't want to do that to myself or to my roommate, since if I can't afford it on my own, she'd be forced to find someone else on short notice next winter. So, it has been a bit of a frustrating time trying to compromise and figure out what is going to be best for the both of us.

So the other day I decided to simply make a pro/con list. Because lists are fabulous. :)


Moving back home with my parents:

PROS
1. Save Money (Even though they are paying for rent, I would be saving money spent on utility bills, groceries, cleaning products, etc.)
2. Save gas money and be closer to things like my boyfriend, work, etc.
3. Not have to deal with noisy and weird neighbors
4. Won’t have to make as many meals for myself and things like that
5. Won’t have to deal with living with someone who isn’t as neat as I am (nothing against her, we are just different in those ways...I wish I wasn't such a clean freak :-/)
6. My parents said they will buy me a new, bigger TV for my room (I don’t really care about this because the TV I have now was a present from my deceased grandpa, but it just feels like it should go in the pro section)
7. Won’t have the possibility of accidentally screwing over my roommate in case I can’t make enough money when I graduate


CONS
1. Less freedom (I’d like to think my parents would be more relaxed with things, but it would still be different than not having anyone to tell what I’m doing or have absolute privacy)
2. Less privacy
3. Have to share a bathroom again (I hated sharing one with my dad!)
4. Have to listen to my dad’s snoring
5. Farther away from school again (I have mostly online classes though so this isn’t that terrible)
6. Will have to move all my things again
7. More opportunities to argue with my parents (Now it is a great relationship because I don’t see them as much, but when living with them again comes into play, arguments are bound to come up)

So it is a lot to think about. Anyone have tips about living situations, graduation, getting a job, thinking about the future, etc.?

Also! Don't forget to ask me some questions. I'm waiting for a few more before I post an answer entry...