It’s Time To Get Rid Of The Relationship Escalator
Every relationship is as unique as the people in it
I have a confession: I’ve always wanted a man-cave. Sort of.
As someone who was raised to believe in the relationship escalator, I’ve always expected to grow up, meet someone, fall in love, and move in with them. And for the most part, I’ve always loved the idea; I love having people around to do shared home activities with (dinner, board game night) and find the experience of sharing a home with people very enjoyable. If someone offered me the choice between living alone and living with my 5 best friends, I’d pick the best friends.
That being said, I love my space too.
I need a lot of solitude. Growing up, I would shut myself in my room for six hours at a time, declining invitations to socialize from friends, family members, and even romantic interests. I would only leave my room to eat and use the facilities — and sometimes, even eating was optional. One of my favorite things to do is lay in my bed, totally alone, watching TV or writing or doing something else I enjoy.
This isn’t a problem when I live with my parents. This isn’t a problem when I live with my friends or my siblings. It is, however, a problem when I live with a romantic partner.
