Flying the nest taught me all about my true self

The summer sun signals one thing for many across Britain – packing up their pencil cases one last time as exams finish and freedom looms.

As students receive their results, belated congratulations, and their university places; many will also be considering their living arrangements for the next three years – whether to enjoy their home comforts, or fly the nest.

If there is one thing I learned during my time at university – aside from how to turn cheap noodles into a three-course meal and where you can find the cheapest booze – it’s that living with friends is a must-have experience.

Nothing prepared me for adult life more than my hazy student days sharing a flat and eventually a house with my best pals.

Aside from gifting me some of my fondest memories, it also taught me many valuable life lessons that I wouldn’t have learned while shacked up with my parents.

Parents may give you a list of chores to do, or even ensure that you pay board, but more often than not they will still be waiting on your every need without question.

Moving out of your childhood home forces you to do things for yourself, and really helps you appreciate everything that your doting parents do for you – dishes don’t just wash themselves and the carpet won’t be magically clean after a party.

Living with friends simply helps you learn how to look after yourself, and gives you an early introduction into what it means to be self-sufficient.

With bills coming out of your ears, moving out will improve your budgeting skills ten-fold.

Every student knows the pain of having to live on £10 a week after spending a little too much while out on the town, and living with pals helps you learn how to never fall foul of overspending again – there’s no parents to bail you out here.

It also helps you save heaps of money on nights out. You don’t have to make plans to hang out with your friends when they’re all just down the hallway.

It teaches you how to deal with the negatives of others in a positive way.

I’ve had housemates who leave a mess, use the last of your butter, and spend way too long in the bathroom. But I’ve learned to take these annoyances in my stride, which is something you can apply to various other areas of your life.

Alternatively, it also teaches you the negatives about yourself. I’ve been told I am annoyingly loud when I stomp around, or blast my radio – and I’ve definitely learned to dial it down.

Ultimately, living with friends gives you a sense of freedom like no other. You can roll back into your home whenever you like, have ice cream for tea, and start to discover the person you are without your parents’ influence.

While I love living with my partner and pets, there are days that I really miss the camaraderie and roaring fun that came with living with friends. It had its downsides, with emotional bust-ups and petty bickering, but it ultimately made us all grow inseparable.

If you’re set to collect your exam results this summer, consider packing up your pots and pans and flying the nest with your besties – it may just be the best decision you ever make.