Over the Christmas holidays, I spent three weeks house sitting and dog sitting for a friend. It was a new experience for me having to live on my own and be fully and singularly responsible for a pet. In those three weeks, I learnt a lot of things about myself and about what my future looks like. And I made a new best friend.
Meet Coco. She's not only completely and utterly adorable but she's become very close to my heart. She's the sweetest dog and she's got a heart made of pure gold. Spending three weeks with this staffy dog was probably one of the highlights of 2017/18. I of course spent a lot of the time missing my own Dolly dog back home, but I saw her almost everyday when I went back to say hi and see the family.
As I mentioned before, I learnt a lot of things about myself, my potential future and about being a responsible adult. I've had many opportunities to be responsible and for most of my teen life, I was extremely responsible compared to my peers. But this responsibility was a little bit different and I just thought it would be nice to make a list of what I learnt and reflect on it.
I don't like being on my own.
I kind of knew this one already but it became more apparent after about a week here. I genuinely think this is the most time I've spent alone ever and I realised how much I love having company, or just knowing someone is around. It was a conflicting feeling because at home I'm always eager to get up to my room and be on my own and I adore time by myself, but it's different when I know if I needed anyone or wanted any company, all I'd have to do is walk down a flight of stairs. I really enjoyed having time and space to do my own thing but knowing no one was coming home or around to talk to face to face made me feel lonely.
I am a tidy person really.
I've always been known to my family as a messy person. My actual room is a state, (even right now) but I was so tidy when I was house sitting. Now, I know that someone will say, 'but it's because it's not your house and you felt like you had to be'. But it truly bothered me if I didn't wash up just one cup or I didn't have my shoes by the door or my keys in a certain place. I can't place why I'm such a messy pup here, but I am.Anyway, I always worried that I was going to take my messiness with me to a new home when I get one with John but now seeing how I was at someone else's house when it was all my own responsibility, I realised I'm more than likely going to be a tidier person and that makes me happy.
I am super safety conscious.
I didn't realise how much I worried until now. Anytime I went anywhere I locked every door and checked everything was unplugged, off or away from the dog. At home I automatically unplug things in my room but anywhere else, I don't really think about. I'm never first or last in or out of the house so I'm rarely locking doors and so I realised how safety conscious I am over the three week stay.
I'm a serial snacker.
I didn't believe John until now and I hate that he's right about this. I've been in denial about my snacking habits for ever, but every time I had a cup of tea or sat down for something like a film, I had biscuits or sweets. I got so many over Christmas that I had a stash and a half and didn't regulate my intake at all. I truly realised my snacking habits when I'd eaten a pretty big tray of shortbreads to myself. A horrible habit that I'm working to quit this very minute. In all seriousness though, it has given me the motivation to get healthy this 2018, especially because I am feeling disgustingly sluggish and experiencing awful breakouts.
I have more time to do things in my evening than I think.
I used to spend a lot of time thinking about how quickly my evenings gone and saying things like "I feel like I've done nothing all evening", when actually, I hadn't. Whilst house sitting not only did I come home, walk the dog, make my dinner and have a shower and all that jazz; But I also spent time taking photos, writing blog posts, drawing, bullet journalling and playing games when I wanted to with a decent amount of time to. I went to bed at a reasonable hour and I'd done all the things I wanted. It just goes to show how much I procrastinate at home. Since I've been back, I've spent my evenings a little more wisely and kept myself busy in a healthy way like I was when I was house sitting.I can take full responsibility for a dependent - pet or person.
When I was just 14, my mum had my little sister. And then my little brother when I was 16. I've always known how to look after babies and children but I've never been fully responsible for them. Dolly is a family dog too so we share the responsibility of looking after her and so I'm not fully responsible for her either. With Coco, for three weeks, she was dependent on me and so I did everything I could to make sure she was happy, safe and healthy. Like disliking being alone, I kind of knew this one already but this experience confirmed it for me.
I'm more excited about, and eager to moving out than ever.
Again, I always knew I'd enjoy the day I leave the nest and get my own place but even more so than I did before. Having a 'place of my own' temporarily gave me the chance to realise that I'd love being responsible for all the little things I feel a lot of people take for granted. For me it's things like doing the food shopping and cooking dinners, choosing what's on the TV, taking a bath for as long as you want and generally having my own schedule where I don't have to worry about much more than just John and myself. There's so many people in my house that it's hard for any of this to really happen so I look forward to those little things. The days John stayed with me too were just dreamy. I imagined it'd be like that when we have our own place - maybe better! It was blissful. Also, I won't be alone because I'll have John to go home to. And maybe a pet of our own. We'll see.
So that's what I learnt about myself! I really wish I wrote down all the things I came up with before because I know I forgot some really good ones. I'll update this post if I remember them. Anyway, I think I'm ready to adult now even though I am super scared about the transition... and the bills.... and the potential new town. I think we'll be okay more than okay.
Have you learnt anything about yourself recently?
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