Everything about moving to Australia that, to me, was and is riveting and satisfying, but also anxiety-inducing.

It’s no secret that I’m as sentimental as they come. A quick scroll through my Instagram story highlights will reveal an excessive amount of #throwback photos.

So naturally, as I’m on the verge of completing my last semester in uni, I just had to meticulously reminisce my time in Melbourne.

Ever since moving out, I’ve been posed with this question about ten thousand times: how would I know if solo living is for me? My answer is always that it boils down to your own lifestyle habits and preferences.

That being said, solo living is a luxury that not everyone can easily afford. In fact, even if you are able to afford it, you might still contemplate a shared apartment for various reasons.

Here are some factors to consider when making the big decision.

I love Melbourne with all my heart. But, and I say this with love, this city is whack.

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much intense prep work you do for your trip. You’ll read blogs, you’ll watch YouTube videos, you’ll ask friends—but none of it will match up to experiencing it yourself for the first time and ending up 45 minutes in the opposite direction of your intended destination.

Disclaimer: Most of these I find whack simply because I grew up in a wildly different environment. If you’re a born-and-raised Melburnian, chances are you won’t find any of these out of the ordinary at all.

1. Tram stops are in the middle of the road

There is something about exiting the crosswalk mid-way that feels so counterintuitive. And it certainly does not help directionally-challenged individuals like myself either.

That said, I developed a completely rational fear of taking the tram, and in my first three months, travelled around via Uber almost exclusively.

So you’ve made the brilliant yet unfortunate mistake of trying fresh pasta. Because now, you’re addicted, and you can’t go back to the boxed stuff.

If you’re anything like me, you would’ve foreseen your fresh pasta stock running low within a matter of weeks and scoured the internet for homemade pasta tutorials, eagerly hoping to make some of your own. But as you watch more tutorials, your heart sinks, learning that most recipes call for some sort of pasta maker.

You battle with your mind for a second, debating if it’s worth the extra $60 at all. Eventually, you nearly abandon the idea, when suddenly it strikes you – what if I try rolling it out on my own?