What's your take on living alone?

I've been living away from my family since I was 13 and entirely alone since 16. While it sounds cool and “grown-up,” it’s been hitting differently lately—especially today, when my periods arrived with their three-day immersive pain package.

I just wanted someone to take care of me, bring me flowers, ice cream, or at least a blanket. Instead, there I was—cooking, cleaning, and washing utensils through tears, wishing someone else could handle life for a moment.

Another thing I’ve noticed is how many little stories or thoughts I forget because there’s no one to share them with. Living alone has definitely made me independent, but I feel like it’s also robbed me of my childhood.

So, living alone: empowering or exhausting? Maybe a bit of both.