[Miscellaneous] The value of visitors

So for the last week I've had a friend staying with me - her normal train-based commute into London has been disrupted (a massive landslip that took out a whole train line), so she was using my flat as a base to get to Coventry train station. Now that she's left, I've got to thinking about the value of having visitors, and by extension the value of flat-sharing.

It's actually been really nice coming home in the evening and having someone to chat to, eat dinner with, and slouch in front of the TV with. Our schedule's were reasonably similar (although she did have to get up earlier than me), and so we did have most evenings to just hang out. It was a good change from being in the flat by myself, and brought back memories of my first couple of years sharing with John in St Andrews, when we use to watch "'Allo 'Allo", or "Monty Python's Flying Circus" together. It made me realise that I actually quite like having someone else in the flat, and that I've actually been a little but lonely on occasion. This was particularly apparent when she left yesterday morning; though I was out all day, getting home to an empty flat, then getting up this morning with no one else there was a little big depressing really. 



It's not the first time I've felt this. Another of my friends stayed for a few days just after New Year, and when she left I felt something similar. It seems that, although I maintain that I like living by myself, I do actually miss flat-sharing. Particularly with people I already know and get on with. It's also made me realise how much I really value my friends; I need periodic reminders about this it seems!

With the added stability offered by my new job (which starts tomorrow), I've been considering putting down some proper roots and buying a house. I'd intended to continue living by myself, but I'm now considering getting a lodger. Because as my visitor(s) reminded me, sometimes some company is just what you need.

Friends are awesome. Them coming to visit is even better. (Credit: Ella Hunt)

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