As a young adult who just graduated from Fresno State, I am constantly thinking about my next step in life. And I’m not just talking about my career moves. I am constantly thinking about my future housing needs.
When I first began my college journey, I decided to stay home rather than move out so that I could focus solely on my education. On-campus living was unaffordable and was a set-up for future debt. I knew that this financial burden would affect my mental health severely in the future.
Being an independent individual, I’ve always wanted to move out on my own but, sadly, that is not quite possible. Currently without a job or a stable means of income, I have no choice but to stay home. In addition to this, the housing market is too high for an individual to live comfortably with one income.
My goal in the future is to live independently. I want to experience having the creative freedom to decorate my house how I envision it without having to compromise with another person. Living alone would allow me to learn more about myself, to understand my own values, my own beliefs, and simply understand the feeling of being truly independent. Maybe in the long-run, I will learn that I desire constant company within my home. I won’t know that completely until I experience the feeling of living independently.
The honest truth is that I am terrified to move out. Growing up, I witnessed the struggles my parents faced on a daily basis to provide for their family and pay their rent. We did not always live in the nicest houses. For years, we lived in a small 4-bedroom house with 10 other family members. Another home was infested with rats that lived within the walls, and another was a tiny 3-bedroom home located near Fresno Community Hospital. I understand and appreciate all the sacrifices my parents made to provide their best for their kids. My fear as an adult now, is that I will struggle financially to pay my bills. I do not want to return back to a moment of living in poverty.
In order to avoid this fear, I plan to stay with my mother for an additional two years to save enough money to buy a house. As I learn more about investments, buying a home seems to be the best way to invest my money into my future and financial growth. However, the market for houses is so high that it feels like my goal floats farther away from my grasp.