Parting With My Studio Apartment -- and My Independence

When my partner and I left Chicago for San Francisco, we decided to hold off on moving in together. We hadn't been dating for very long and wanted to establish our own, independent selves and lives in the new city. Plus, I had never lived by myself. I was enamored with the idea of creating my very own home, with no bathrooms to share or aesthetics to clash. I fixed my own appliances (with a little assistance from YouTube) and never split the rent or the bills for the wifi. My small studio quickl...