'Things I never expected to face': Singapore woman shares drawbacks of living solo

For those itching to move out of their parent's house, living solo is the ultimate dream.

But being home alone isn't always sunshine and roses — just ask Macaulay Culkin.

Closer to home, lifestyle content creator and life coach Clara Chua, also known as Explodingbelly, recently shared the pains of living solo.

She moved out of her parent's home two years ago and has been living alone since then.

Last Sunday (Feb 5), Clara shared the part of living alone that people tend to sweep under the rug.

The 21-second TikTok clip was a list of everyday "things [she] never expected to face" whilst living alone.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@explodingbelly/video/7196213005842009345?_r=1&_t=8ZfwepVgwr4[/embed] 

Dealing with insects at home all alone was a new experience for Clara.

What's potentially even more alarming are the types of insects in her home.

Whether it's a worm or beetle, the bugs she's dealing with are definitely more "exotic" than your everyday ants or cockroaches.

Living alone also meant that Clara had to keep tabs on the expiry dates of perishable goods in her refrigerator.

"My food expired even before I know it and I have too much food," she admitted.

Sure, these are first-world problems but problems nonetheless.

Given her introverted nature, Clara tends to avoid small talk with strangers.

This can be a bit of an issue when she heads out to the rubbish chute to dispose of trash, hoping she doesn't bump into any neighbours.

Benefits of solo living 

A common question she receives is whether it's worthwhile to live alone.

In a TikTok video shared last January, Clara mentioned how living solo has brought about plenty of benefits.

While she noted that there weren't any issues with her parents, she felt that her relationship with them had improved with quality conversations since moving out.  

Living alone has also given her a new sense of freedom to connect with herself and take charge of her life.

Clara learned to be independent and accountable before providing the perfect example — having to buy her own toilet rolls.

When was the last time you did that?

Being financially prudent was a steep learning curve, but the process was accelerated as Clara had much more opportunities to learn by living on her own.

In the comments section, netizens also shared their aspirations and experiences when it comes to moving out and living alone.

However, one TikTok user accused Clara of abandoning her parents and claimed that she "should stay with [her] parents" in their old age.

AsiaOne has reached out to Clara for more information.

In December 2021, Desiree Cho spoke to AsiaOne about her experience studying abroad and living alone in London.

She talked about how difficult it was to be alone when she fell ill.

Back when she was living with her family, she could rely on them to take of care her when she was sick.

In London, however, she'd have to handle that on her own and she also mentioned how she "missed the company of family a lot" when she was sick. 

ALSO READ: How to be at peace with being alone

amierul@asiaone.com

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