Living where you work
I required a long time to move from being a student to being a worker. It helped that I went to a residential school where I could live very close to my classrooms and get my meals there. Five years in one case and then another year at another place. A workplace supposedly; but I would go from my desk in the office to my place in the pool or my place in the gym, or my place in a sit down restaurant without any moment to hesitate in my life choices. I bring this up because I’ve been listening to the work experience of others and I always had it good. I will not go as far as great. These were jobs but on the whole I think I lucked out. I also decided for a number of reasons to continue working in that kind of environment summer after summer. Much easier than finding an apartment for short term. Just stay on campus and eat on campus and socialize on campus and profit from what seemed at the time to be a great deal in the financial sense. I think that even my children got caught up in it when they were very young. Or maybe we just dragged them along and they had no say in the matter. You can get used to the small beds and the shared bath and the hotline food if you’re a happy camper. I was. Going on 30 odd years since the last time I stayed in a student residence but I remember the experience well. Did you know that you do not need a double bed when you’re there to sleep? And did you know that industrial carpets are no worse on the feet than anything else. My kids learn to walk on exactly that kind of carpet. And we didn’t need the luxury that people now think of as necessities. No foam beside my bed because there was a payphone just down the hall. Food Sir from a tray? Fine by me. The odd bursts of noise from dozens and dozens of neighbours? All part of growing up experience. I could write a book about it except that no one else really cares.
