Living Archives » dani kate

What was that noise? – New apartment adjustments

Posted on February 1, 2017April 5, 2017 by dani

“What was that noise?!” I exclaim to my new roommate Desi from the living room of our new apartment on the third (basically fourth) floor in Chicagoland. “I have no idea,” she says looking at me with wide eyes. “Maybe it’s a ghost!” I exclaim excitedly. Settling In Moving into a new apartment always comes with its fair share of drama and struggles. For awhile we had Amazon packages arriving at our door almost every day. Boxes littered our spare bedroom, and artwork rested against the wall on the floor. Trash Day was dreaded, as we had to take down stacks and …Keep Reading

Invasion of the sister & BFF

Posted on May 18, 2016April 5, 2017 by dani

As strange as it may be, my sister and I share a best friend. They’ve been friends since the ripe old age of three, and I have since adopted her BFF into my close circle. One of my favorite things about living alone is that I don’t have to coordinate around roommates when my sister and best friend come to visit from out of town. This is important for a number of reasons: We are LOUD when we are in the same location and haven’t seen each other in a few months. We stay up long past the time when considerate people should …Keep Reading

How to NOT get overwhelmed living alone

Posted on May 7, 2016April 5, 2017 by dani

To those of you who have never lived on your own or are gearing up to move out and have some reservations, fear not! I’ve compiled a quick list of helpful advice to help combat the prospect of becoming overwhelmed. (Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am in no way insisting that everyone must do these things to succeed. These are just some tips that have worked for me over the last few years.) So, without further ado (and yes, it’s “ado” not “adieu.” I checked on my favorite grammar resource Grammar Girl!)… Keep up on your chores so they …Keep Reading

Living Alone: Mostly a blessing, not really a curse

Posted on April 30, 2016April 5, 2017 by dani

Living alone is not some horrific ordeal that you must struggle to “survive” if you find yourself sans roommates at some point in your life. In fact, I’ve discovered that it is often to the contrary. In my opinion, living alone is actually a rewarding opportunity that you should experience. As I’ve previously mentioned, it’s quite possible that I am predisposed to love living without roommates based on my personality and just who I am as an individual. Therefore, it has always bothered me when I read articles or editorials that put living alone in the categories of clichéd tropes involving sad, single people. They then …Keep Reading

An extroverted introvert in a [not so] lonely world…

Posted on April 16, 2016March 22, 2017 by dani

Growing up I always felt a little different than the people that surrounded me. I felt like I was a little too independent, a little too unorthodox, a little too inside my head. Don’t get me wrong. I loved being with my friends and belonging to my dance studio. However, the constant activity and surge of adrenaline I enjoyed so much also inexplicably drained me. The only way I could recharge was to be by myself, or at least retreat inside my imagination, for hours on end, usually by reading books. It wasn’t until much later when I was in …Keep Reading