Wants vs. Needs

So it's been a really long time since I've written last, but I've been extremely busy. The school year started up again and a lot of things have changed. First and foremost I'm living in a two bedroom apartment instead of on campus.

With this apartment comes the feeling of being an adult; having the ability to say I live on my own. While most people would argue, "well last year you lived on your own" I would disagree. Because of the closeness and the living quarters I never felt as though I was on my "own". There was always something going on on campus, and when there wasn't, a friends room was no more than a 3 minute walk to the end of Dubois purple hall. While I admit I hated the screaming in the hallway while I was trying to do homework or sleep at night, there was a sense of comfort being surrounded by students that I could relate to. While I enjoy saving hundreds of dollars a month, I have to admit I miss the dorms and spending time with friends from last year.

So, what does it take in order to live on your own? What does one need in order to survive? Well, my eyes have been opened to the popular controversy of wants vs. needs. When I was in high school, I always needed everything. If I wanted it, usually I had to have it. Want and need were synonymous; there was no difference between the two.

As I continue on with the year I am surprised at the amount of things that I no longer need. People think I'm crazy because I don't have cable. I had it at home and I enjoyed watching tv every now and then. I had my regular shows- House, Grey's Anatomy, etc. But I have little need for cable here. I run around like a chicken with my head cut off and don't have time to watch television even if I wanted to. We have a DVD player set up with our tv so I can watch a movie when I have time, but what's the point in paying $30+ a month for something that I won't even use?

Sweets. At home I would allow myself to indulge in a sweet treat every now and then, no harm done. But having to buy my own groceries and spend my own money, I now realize that those too, are wants and not needed. What's even better is now that the cakes and the cookies aren't in my cupboard, I'm no longer thinking about them either. "Out of sight, out of mind."

Our apartment is still a work in progress; it's kind of empty with a lot of wall space waiting to be decorated. But I've learned a lot about what's necessary in order to live.

You learn how to take what you once would have considered garbage or trash and turn it into an arts and crafts project that you can hang on the wall. This makes your place that much better because it's something personal, something unique. It shows your personality, and gives that homey feeling.

Lacking funds really teaches you how to decide what's worth the purchase? A lot of times we buy things we think we need, but in the long run we forget about them and they end up sitting in our room until we clean or move out. In the meantime, when the next emergency comes up we're out of the $70 we spent on that thing that's just sitting in our room.

It's not about the quantity. It's not the more things you have, the better. It's about appreciating what you do have. Taking the things you can afford and showing them off in a way that shows you're proud to own it. Things, possessions- those are tangible items that can be taken from you, stolen. But the pride you have invested in your home and valuables, that can never be taken. You will always remember the pride you felt when you finished putting together that bookshelf or the excitement you felt after hanging the first painting on the wall. Cherish it.