📘 Part 3: Accommodation

This episode's vocabulary

Self-aware (adj.) - knowing and understanding yourself very well.

The wherewithal (noun) - something such as money or a particular quality that is necessary in order to get or achieve something.

To cope (verb) - to deal successfully with a difficult situation.

Hermit (noun) - a person who lives alone and apart from the rest of society, especially for religious reasons.

Solitary (adj.) - a solitary person or thing is the only person or thing in a place.

Existence (noun) - a particular way of life.

Reasonable (adj.) - based on or using good judgment and therefore fair and practical.

Oversight (noun) - responsibility for a job or activity and for making sure it is being done correctly.

Budgeting (noun) - the process of calculating how much money you must earn or save during a particular period of time, and of planning how you will spend it.

Destitute (adj.) - without money, food, a home, or possessions.

Disrepair (noun) - the state of being broken or old and needing to be repaired.

Sole (adj.) - being one only; single.

To defer (verb) - to delay something until a later time.

Gradually (adverb) - slowly over a period of time or a distance.

Progressively (adverb) - gradually.

Questions and Answers

M: Should young people live on their own?

R: Well as with everything, surely that depends on the context, doesn't it? I mean, if they're under 18, or unable to support themselves, then that's probably not a great idea. If they're reasonably independent and self-aware though, then it shouldn't be a big deal since they'll have at least some of the wherewithal to cope, if not all of it.

M: What kinds of people tend to live alone?

R: Hermits? Seriously, though, some people are a little unlucky in life and love and never find their other half. For others, it's an active choice and they're quite happy to live some sort of solitary existence since they're quite happy in their own company.

M: Why do young people move to their own accommodation?

R: I'd imagine to get out from the shadow of their parents and lead their own lives. Most parents are pretty reasonable when they have their children living with them. But there's a great deal more freedom of action to be had when you're away from home, as there's, well, less oversight, whether intended or not.

M: Besides cooking, are there any other skills that people need to learn if they live on their own?

R: Well, loads. They'll need to have decent financial management skills like budgeting so they don't go bankrupt and wind up destitute. They will also need to be reasonably organized so their home is in good order and doesn't fall into disrepair. That's just a couple of examples. But there are more.

M: Is it good for young people to live by themselves?

R: Eventually, yes, though, when that probably comes down to the individual circumstances. But it's important to be reasonably independent and make your own choices for your own mental health. If nothing else. If you're stuck at home all the time, you're likely to be less able to cope without that support, and it will disappear eventually. So it's important to prepare.

M: What's the difference between living alone and living with roommates?

R: Well, I'd imagine there are loads of them. But the big ones which stand out in my mind are the lack of shared responsibilities and bills if you live alone, then you've got sole responsibility for it all. You probably have more freedom of action to compensate as well, since you can decide what to do in your home without deferring to anyone else.

M: How can parents and teachers help young people to live independently?

R: I suppose by highlighting examples of how it's done well and providing opportunities to do it. For example, children can walk from home to school by themselves, and gradually exercise more control over other things like when and where to go out with friends with progressively less oversight. The same is true for things like doing homework, especially if you, as the young person, have full responsibility for it.

M: Thank you, Rory, so much for your answers!

R: Hooray! Hopefully, they were accommodating.