There comes a time in every college student's life when she is forced to admit that she is no longer, in fact, a College Student but a College Graduate. Furthermore, in addition to earning a degree or two, she has also earned a one-way ticket into the Real World, where she will be forced to transform herself and her habits to become a Real Person. For me this transition has been rough at best, causing much stress and emotion. However, I have also realized what an incredible opportunity I have been afforded by finally being able to live independently and make my own decisions about everything from the food I buy and the meals I cook to the places I shop and the things that fill my abode.
After four years as an Environmental Studies major, I, like many of my classmates, began to grow tired of thought-provoking readings and classroom discussions; I found myself hungering for practical real-life experiences. And now, lo and behold, I find myself embarking upon the most practical real-life experience imaginable. Living independently is giving me the opportunity I have been seeking: being able to make the most decisions about my life and my impact as I ever have thus far will allow me to think through every decision, examine every habit, and make choices which reinforce the values and beliefs I have cultivated in my years of study and experience.
I have decided to chronicle the first year of my life as a "Real Person" (quotations to be removed upon successful completion, I suppose) not only to have a record of my journey but so that my discoveries and decisions might be shared with others. I believe that life decisions should be made through consultation with many sources, and one of the important ones is peers and friends. I don't pretend to have all the answers to the problems and choices I will tackle, but I do promise to seek the answers. And I invite you to join me in this! Share anecdotes or solutions, ask questions, offer articles and books which have been helpful or have raised questions for you. Together we will learn!
Finally, I have set a few parameters for my journey:
Budget. I am living on a budget, which is not really a parameter that I have set voluntarily but rather one of necessity. I have a set income which means that I must be frugal, intentional, and wise about spending.
Organic. Organic food and products is one of the areas which I am continuing to research. While I know that it is more important to buy certain products organic than others, I am still forming my conclusions. That being said, I am set on buying organic milk (whether cow milk or soy), and organic cage-free eggs, when I choose to buy them.
Minimal packaging. One of the things that makes me crazy about shopping is the amount of packaging which embalms nearly everything we buy. This is another areas which still deserves research and contemplation on my part, but what I am strongly committed to is seeking products which are encumbered by minimal packaging--especially plastic. This means buying a bigger bottle of vitamins instead of two smaller bottles, or buying a glass jar of mustard instead of the plastic easy-squeeze tube. Also, I am working really hard to forge the habit of bringing bags with me when I go to the store instead of taking new paper or plastic bags at check-out. (My effort has been rather comical thus far, but I am getting better!)
Minimize use of electricity, water, and gasoline. The classical example of conservation, I will be striving to find ways to minimize my use of electricity, such as maximizing use of natural light, using the air conditioning unit sparingly, opting for the ceiling fan or open windows, and using smaller appliances to prepare my food. This has manifested itself so far in a game-like attempt to see just how low I can get my electric bill. My water bill is a flat rate, so although I have no financial incentive to reduce my water use, I will be striving to do this as well. I am actively seeking new creative ways to do this, so please share any ideas you have! As far as gasoline, I am close enough to work so that I can walk or bike every day, and downtown is very accessible to be on foot or...pedal. Trips to the grocery store or Target require driving, so I am addressing that by carpooling as much as possible.
Invest in local/small businesses. This is something that is near to my heart, especially as I have seen large chain stores take over small, family- or privately-owned businesses just because they can. In a world in which big box stores can offer much more attractive and affordable prices, I believe in trying to support smaller non-chain, non-retail stores as much as possible. Given my limited income, this may be difficult, but I will do my best!
Why buy new when slightly used will do? This has been my motto for the past few months especially in finding new books and clothes. This summer I was able to get away with buying very few truly new items by finding a couple of really nice second-hand clothing stores near by. And as always, Half-Price Books was my go-to used bookstore. Oftentimes the incentive for buying second-hand goods is the reduced price, but there is actually a much larger philosophy behind it. This is something I plan to explore in great detail, especially because there has historically (at least in the past few decades) been an unfavorable stigma attached to buying used clothes. More to come! In the mean time, I am doing my best to find used books and clothes to suit my needs (no pun intended). I have been pleased with my success so far, let's hope that trend continues.
Share! Whether it's carpooling; sharing household appliances, a garlic press, or a drying rack; or borrowing books, we find that we have access to a whole wealth of tools to accomplish daily tasks without having to own one of everything. One of the many benefits of living in community :)
Find creative solutions! My overall goal for this year is to find creative solutions to my use of resources and my household decisions. I am really excited about this, and I hope you are too!
All the best!
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