Does anyone live alone?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi I'm a student starting my second year in the fall. Originally I was going to move with family after graduation, but I decided I didn't want to move to that area. I currently hate where I live with every fiber of my being! So moving is my #1 motivation to push myself hard in school and obviously important to me. My BF will not be moving with me either because of his career. We both are accepting of this, that I chose location and he chose career over our relationship but anyway the point is I'll be moving alone to an area where I don't know anyone.

So I was wondering about nurses who live alone. Are you a single parent? Do you have pets? How do you work those things out if so with 12 hr shifts? Do you keep up with the bills well enough and housework? I don't know this doesn't seem that important of a topic but I'm asking anyway and interested in the answers, Thank you :)

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I live alone and I love it. I am divorced and my kids are grown and living together in an apartment while they go to school . I have 2 cats and a dog. My house is kind of messy but I don't worry about that too much. I work a lot , mostly nights but some days. I love not having to accommodate another person . If it's 2am and I can't sleep I can get up. I can eat at odd times. I can do laundry at 2 am. I really enjoy my time alone.

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Specializes in Forensic Psychiatry.

I prefer to live alone - It's given me a lot of mobility and I've been all over the US at this point. Living somewhere alone without knowing anyone is pretty common for me and it's never bothered me. I feel like it's made me really self sufficient. I'm lucky right now because my best friend and I happened to end up in the same city (him for work, me for grad school + travel assignment) at the same time (we're both 30 something, childfree and career centered) and it's worked out really well. I've never had problems paying bills, don't have a lot of cleaning because I work so much OT I'm not really home a lot and I do terribly with other living things (no plants, no pets, no dependents).

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

When I graduated, I took a job several states away from my entire family...in a city where I knew exactly zero people. I was ALONE. And it was probably one of the best things that I've ever done for myself, because I got to find out who I was apart from my family. I happen to be the youngest in my family, so moving away was also the first time that I ever got to stretch my wings and be treated like an adult (because, of course, when you are the youngest, you will always be the baby to your family). Not saying that the transition wasn't hard....that first year was rough at times. But I am SO glad that I did it.

I spent a lot of time researching locations and hospitals, and found a place that I thought I could be happy. I think its a great thing to do.

By the way, I still live alone, and I am now old and set in my ways...its just me and a cat. The cat will forgive me for leaving for 12 hour shifts, as long as I feed her before I go. I don't think I could deal with living with another human now, at least I haven't met one yet that I would want to deal with!

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I live on my own. No kids and no pets. Bills are easy to keep up with. I don't buy unnecessary things and am able to put away a good chunk of my salary despite being halfway through my masters.

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Specializes in ICU.

I moved out about a year ago. My only complaints are if I don't do xyz, xyz will never get done. If I don't go grocery shopping, I won't have any food (thank goodness for delivery *Shout out Domino's Pizza*). If I don't do laundry, I'll run out of clean clothes. If I don't clean my apartment regularly, it'll become a mess.

It would be sooo nice after a long day at work, to come home to a home cooked meal. If I don't feel like going to the store, I wish I had a significant other that would go for me. If I don't feel like cleaning (I'm never in the mood to clean), it would be nice to have somebody else do it this week. Etc, etc, etc. Plus, it would be nice to unwind with someone there.

But, for now it's just myself and my cat. You'll survived doing everything yourself. Just make note of when bills are due. I've worked 8, 10, and 12 hr shifts. 12s are the best for more days off. 8s are the worst, you have to play catchup on the weekends and then you truly don't get a day off.

I've always been the independent type in terms of accomplishing goals and such. It's just when it comes to day to day living, I wish I could share those task with someone instead of doing it all myself.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

Ditto to what the other posters have said about the joys of living alone. I, too, find it much easier to live alone than it was when I had a spouse and kids living with me while managing my responsibilities of school and work.

I do have 1 older child at home and it makes life so easy! He's easy. [emoji41]

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I live alone more 5 years without kids, pets. First 3 years I was happy but now I so want soulmate ...

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
I moved out about a year ago. My only complaints are if I don't do xyz, xyz will never get done. If I don't go grocery shopping, I won't have any food (thank goodness for delivery *Shout out Domino's Pizza*). If I don't do laundry, I'll run out of clean clothes. If I don't clean my apartment regularly, it'll become a mess.

It would be sooo nice after a long day at work, to come home to a home cooked meal. If I don't feel like going to the store, I wish I had a significant other that would go for me. If I don't feel like cleaning (I'm never in the mood to clean), it would be nice to have somebody else do it this week. Etc, etc, etc.

You dont need a significant other...you need a butler ;)

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Specializes in CVICU.

I live alone and have no pets, no SO, and no kids. I am a young 20 something and have no issues keeping up with my bills/rent and putting money in savings with every check. I work full time 7p-7a at a hospital in Oklahoma, picking up no overtime.

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Agree with others who mentioned sometimes night shift is horrible with someone else living with you. My husband would have to sleep at 2200 but I would be wide awake when I was on nights. Sitting up in bed watching netflix from 2200-0300 wasn't exactly thrilling. And wanting to get a snack or go out at any time of night is always pleasing. No kids here, thank God, but my pets do fine when I'm gone. I have a little dog who goes to doggy day care if I work and my husband won't be home until late, and the cats are so independent I don't think they care if I'm here or if I'm not as long as they have water and food.

Best of luck on your new adventure in life!

You said "cats" so that's at least 2 and they keep each other company or at least know someone is with them

I have lived alone, OP, and it suited me at the time. I would hate being alone now, after lots of year of being part of a family.

You will find time for what you have to do, like bills, trash, cook, shop, wash clothes, clean house, keep your car up, etc. Hope you also find time for church/religion/spirituality, exercise, friends, and having lots of enjoyable activities. How will you address any safety concerns? Dog? Gun? Taser? Pepper Spray? I was always more afraid when I was alone. If I become alone today, I will want to live in a senior community or work as a traveler near my kids/loved ones.

Wishing you all the best.

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Been a nurse for 3.5 years. Single, no kids, love it. I REALLY want a dog again, but I can't figure out how to do it w never ending nursing shifts. I was thinking if I was a visiting hospice nurse that I'd have the time to run home and walk my dog. I felt funny doing an internet search on info about visiting nurse hours. Anyone felt this way?

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Specializes in Pedi.

I have lived alone since I graduated from nursing school 9 years ago. I rented for 4 years then purchased my house 5 years ago yesterday. I will never live with a roommate again, unless I don't have a choice financially. Four years of doing that in college was enough.

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