Living on your own...

I've lived on my own for almost 8 years now. I got the RA position my sophomore year, so since then I've either had a single in a residence hall or - later as a grad hall director and now full-time staff member - an apartment. And when you live on your own, you start developing interesting habits...

I, for example, talk to myself. Now that's not necessarily something new. When I was younger, I'd make up imaginary friends and talk to them on my way to and from school (what else can you do to amuse yourself when walking down the same streets every day?) - but it's definitely increased since I've lived on my own. It's not like I talk to myself every day and have in-depth conversations. But sometimes, it's just so quiet in the room and I may walk in and say "hi" to a stuff animal, a picture on the wall or just call into the room, "Honey, I'm home" because I think it sounds funny.
Sometimes - like right now - I talk out loud while writing; it helps me figure out how to say what I want to say.

Eating/cooking is also an interesting thing when you live on your own. First of all, I've found it challenging to keep a regular eating schedule. When I'm in the middle of work, there's really nothing to stop me from continuing to work and just eating later.
I also don't sit down at the dining room table and eat. My dining room table has become a great place to keep supplies for art projects that I'm currently working on, to put down random things that I need to deal with later (from shopping bags that I'm too lazy to sort through right away to stacks of paper from work). I eat my meals either at my desk in the office - so that I can continue to do work - or on my couch while either reading a book or watching TV.
One thing I really don't like about living on your own: cooking for yourself. Cooking for one person is just a pain. Most of the time, you just end up making too much. And then I don't want to waste food, so I eat it all and then I eat too much. Yes, I could put some in the fridge so that I can eat leftovers later but usually it's not enough for a second meal...it's just a little too much for one. I've also developed the habit of eating while I'm cooking - so by the time I'm completely done cooking, half my food is already gone and I just ate standing up in the kitchen.
So let's be honest: I don't cook all that often. For all the above-mentioned reasons; and just because it takes up too much time. By the time I think about eating I'm usually already starving. So I need food then and there. Fortunately I have a meal plan, so I can either run to a dining hall or I just buy something at one of our markets that can be heated up in the microwave.

Oh, living on your own! Most of the time I love it, but you definitely develop some weird quirks and it'd be a challenge to get used to living with another person again.