Pros & Cons of Living in a Boarding House
A boarding house is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms on a nightly basis, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months, and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied.
Source: Wikipedia
As some of you may know, I moved out of my parents' house last August 29. I am now currently residing in a boarding house near my university. I moved out because we already have a blended mode of learning, which means we have both synchronous (face-to-face) and asynchronous (online) classes.
In my almost 3 months of living in a boarding house, here are some of my realizations... the pros and cons based on my own experience...
PROS
Learn how to be independent.
Living in a boarding house will push you to be independent because you will most likely do everything by yourself. You will have to prepare your own meals, you will do your own dishes, will wash your own laundry, will let them dry, will fold them, etc. No one will do it for you. Of course, you can't ask your roommate, board mate, or the landlord to do stuff for you.
As for me, I was actually used to being kind of dependent. Because in our house, my father or my youngest brother or my mother do the cooking, and my father also does the washing of the dishes most of the time. I sometimes just do the laundry and help with other things.
Develop you to be more disciplined
In my almost 3 months of being in a boarding house, I realized that it unconsciously develop me to be more disciplined. My behavior kind of changes. I think it may be also because it's a different environment, and I am more cautious and more considerate because I am with other people in a room. For example, as much as possible I have to keep my things tidy.
Get away from a toxic household
This is not for everyone, of course. But I know other people have a toxic environment within their family and relatives, or even just one toxic family member or relative. And so, if you stay in a boarding house, you will kind of get away and distance yourself from their toxicity.
Convenience
Living in a boarding house that is located very near the campus is such a convenience. In my case, it's just a walking distance. It's a no-hassle for me, even if I forget something that I need for school, I can just go back and forth easily from the boarding house to the campus.
More focused on academics or More Productive
In my experience, I tend to be more productive when I am in a boarding house compared to when I am at home. Because in a boarding house, all of my board mates are fellow students, and so the environment is mostly people who study. And so I tend to study as well because I get pressured. Compare to when I am at home, most likely, I will just scroll through my phone without feeling guilty sometimes.
CONS
Foods
This depends on the situation. But in my case, the boarding house where I stay has no refrigerator, but we do have a stove where we can cook. But I still find it hard to store food without the refrigerator. That's why most boarders would just opt to have instant foods such as noodles, sardines, canned goods, etc. Sometimes, borders will also just buy outside.
However, it is still very different from the food cooked at home or homecooked meals where we can eat adobo, sisig, sinigang, bicol express, etc. Oh, how I missed home-cooked meals cooked by my father. Huhu.
Sharing of common areas
I think this is a con for the majority of people. Staying in a boarding house equates to sharing common areas of the house with other tenants. You will share common areas such as the living room, dining area, kitchen, toilets, and baths, and laundry area.
In my case, I was used to having my own bedroom. It was an adjustment for me to share a room with 3 other girls. But as of now, it's kind of fine for me, though there are just times that I still wish I have a room all by myself.
Homesickness
You will feel it sometimes. You will miss the comfort of your home. Your parents, family, etc.
Closing Thoughts
Those are the pros and cons that I have thought of as of now.
Do you guys have also experienced or are currently experiencing living in a boarding house? If yes, do you agree with what I have shared, or do you have something to add? Feel free to comment below. 😊
Have a great day ahead! ✨
Don't forget to upvote if you like this article. And subscribe for more content!
I write things that spike my interest such as finance, investing, kdrama, kpop, architecture, my learnings, and misadventures.
Maraming salamat sa pagbabasa at hanggang sa susunod na artikulo. Paalam!
Previous Monthly Overview Articles:
Let's be friends on my noise.app: CrazyRichFilipina
Join noise.app: noise.app/invite/xylac6hu
Date Published: November 13, 2022
I agree on being more productive while staying in dorms. I usually just lie down all day here at home whenever I am here and forget about my studies. Hahahaha