The biggest downside of solo living is feeling like I spend most of my time washing dishes and hanging up clothes. I wouldn’t recommend it to extroverts who need constant attention and company, because there will inevitably be days when no one’s around and you have to amuse yourself (the cinema and gym classes are great for this). It sounds saccharine and even trite, but living alone has been an invaluable period of personal growth. I’ve learned more about myself in the last seven months than I did during the few years prior and it was 100% the right decision for me at this stage in my life. Renting my own place isn’t a long-term investment in a property but I see it as an investment in my experiences and quality of life. People often compare it to "throwing money down the drain" but I prefer to see "investments" as more than financial – you can make investments in yourself that will help you grow as a person. It’s not a long-term arrangement and I’m hoping to buy somewhere eventually, possibly with someone else (if I can bear living with someone else again!), but I have no idea what the future holds and life is short, so it’s worth it for me right now.