Space. The final frontier.

Space, my own space that is, seems to be what I am currently aiming for. It's the current goal in my life.

As I draw near to the end of my final year at Derby University I'm starting to crave my own space and freedom. It isn't that I don't like living with my housemates, in fact I get on with them very well and, in many ways, probably better then the majority of other houses out there. What is bugging me is the idea that everything in the house is joint and I'm craving just feeling that everything is mine. The whole group behaviour is getting to me and I feel, in a way, that I might have out grown it.

For instance, doing a 'group shop' consists of me spending £50 towards house supplies when, if I lived alone, I'm sure I could knock that down to only the basics I needed and actually used. It seems I just pay it to keep face, rather then disputing how much of it I personally will use. In another case is the washing up rota. While taking it in turns to do a wash is organised and fair, which I'm not disputing, I simply feel it would be easier, and less time consuming if you were washing what you, personally, had used for yourself.

One of the main reasons these issues have surfaced is the lack of group activity. While before we always seemed to eat together, now people are more frequently eating alone, or with girlfriends. This means the group dynamic no longer works and I'm beginning to feel more solitary.

Another issue I believe is affecting this is the idea of going back home at the end. It's like a step back. I'll be living with my parents once again, in their house and with their rules. I can't see myself wanting to stay there long but at the same time I wont have enough money to move out or live on my own.

I'm stuck in a predicament with no easily reachable solution.