Boy or a girl, it’s all the same once you’ve entered your twenties and are still in the same bedroom you grew up in. That’s right… living with parents (especially in your mid/late twenties) can be a tough task. While it has its perks, we can’t help but feel it’s a real struggle, especially when you watch your television counterparts living the life in their own swish apartments in New York and London!
1. Your personal life isn’t very personal!
You have a girlfriend or a boyfriend, and there’s no way in hell your folks don’t know about it! Basically there’s nothing much that’s ‘personal’ in your personal life if you happen to stay under the same roof with your parents/siblings.
2. Your responsibilities just keep growing.
College is over and now the chores never end. You thought living at home would be cushy but no such luck! You are expected to take out the trash AND make financial contributions to the running of your house… While you brood over how your partying cash went in paying the car cleaner, your dad won’t stop telling you that groceries don’t come for free!
3. Your night-outs need to be well-planned. And so are your invitations to your friends to your place.
No, you can’t call up home at 9 o’clock in the night and tell your folks you won’t be coming home tonight! And same goes to your friend who suddenly decides to crash at yours at the eleventh hour!
4. There’s a deadline….. For everything!
9 o’clock curfew? Picking up laundry? Or paying the bills? Everything has a deadline! Even that one extra drink before going home could put you in deep sh*t if you aren’t home on time.
5. That feeling of freedom you only get when your parents are out of town!
Suddenly your parents decide to visit your aunt in another city and the joy within you starts flaring like there’s no tomorrow. You literally start counting the number of days left for them to depart so you can plan all the parties with your pals!
6. ‘Let’s have dinner together’ has a very different meaning with your parents.
That’s one sentence everyone dreads. Times like these, how you wish you could just order food (like an early dinner) and have it by yourself in the room before they call you to the table!!
7. Getting back home drunk is a huge task for you because pretending to be sober isn’t something that you’re very good at!
Even if you make it before the deadline, entering the house drunk is a complete no-no! No matter how good you are at acting sober or no matter how good you tried to get rid of that alcohol stink, just remember one thing – They know!
8. Day-time drinking has a whole different meaning because that’s the only type of drinking you can do guilt free.
Getting drunk at 2pm in the afternoon? Why not?! At least you know you’d be sober by the time you reach home and no one gets into trouble.
9. Permissions, permissions, permissions….nuff said!
You need permission for everything! Be it stay-overs, vacations or even staying out late beyond the deadline! And since you’ve been doing it for so long, it is now routine for you. Even in your late twenties, taking permission from your folks is the only permissible option you have!
10. The never ending ‘Where are you’ calls.
Ten minutes late? Be prepared for the most anticipated phone call by – You know who! By now you excel at the random excuses you’ve been giving since – let’s say forever! The bottom line is that you need to keep them posted with your whereabouts every time you’re not in the house!
11. You feel jealous of all your friends living independently without any restrictions!
The grass is always greener on the other side! Your friends who live alone may grudge you the home-cooked food in your lunch bag but they have no idea how their life of unrestricted freedom is like that super-expensive candy at the store you always wanted to have! You keep imagining yourself in their shoes and how wonderful your life would’ve been if that was the case!
12. You’re in a constant mental battle with yourself about being an adult and being deprived of so many things you could do!
Yeah yeah, so what if you just cut your 25th birthday cake. The point is, that 12 o’clock vodka shot was missing and there was confetti all around you as a sweet gesture from your parents! Though that sweet gesture should be highly appreciated, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!
13. You’ve crossed 21; chances are all your relatives have already started bombarding you and your folks about finding a suitable life partner!
And the inevitable scenario loved by all Indian relatives! It is surprising how these relatives know someone out there who’s just perfect for you. Maybe they should have a ‘Nosiest annoying relative’ award for every family!
14. Cleaning your room is the biggest struggle you have.
You my friend should be happy about the fact that cleaning your room is the biggest struggle you have. Imagine your peers living alone with innumerable responsibilities like food, laundry, money….bla bla bla…!
15. You know deep down that your struggle doesn’t suck as much!
There are days when you hate the fact that you’re still living like a kid under your parents’ roof. But within the depths of your heart you know that this is the best arrangement for you ever! Imagine coming home to an empty house and having to cook dinner and eat it all by yourself. Despite all the endless battles of freedom that you fight each day, you’re sharing your space with two people who are your best friends in many ways and who will be by your side when your 2 am drinking buddies aren’t!
All images sourced from giphy.com
