3 roommates, 2 cats, no privacy: A gen-Zer's affordable housing solution

This essay and short film Never Alone by Samantha Don is part of Unlocked: Housing stories by young Canadians, a national storytelling series by the CBC Creator Network. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.

I moved out on my own for the first time during the pandemic. 

I was 23 and had only ever lived with my parents up until that point.

There was a lot to consider before moving.

I was terrified. I had just gotten my first full-time job and I didn't really know how to budget. I had also never been without my parents, and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make it on my own.

My partner Luke and I had been talking about it for a while.

At first, there wasn't a lot to look at in our price range, and we found ourselves raising our budget higher and higher. Every place we looked was missing something. One house was nice and even had a garage, but it also had the steepest stairs I've ever seen in my life. Borderline hazardous.

Another place had lots of space for all of us but the basement was actively leaking during our showing. We crossed that one off our list.

COVID-19 was seven months old in Manitoba at this point. It seemed like it would forever be a part of our lives, so we made our move into our rental house in October 2020.

We ended up finding the house of my dreams, with two bedrooms and three bathrooms. We lucked out. It's a great house and it's affordable. We each pay $600 to $800 a month, depending on the utilities. The neighbourhood is very quiet, and I prefer it that way. 

My sister Ally joined us, and her partner Ryan moved in later on. And from then on, for good and bad, I was never alone.

I discovered other things about myself too.

Moving sucks. I never want to do it again.

I don't think I could live alone, at least any time soon. It feels so intimidating and I am nowhere near as prepared emotionally, and honestly physically, as I would hope.

I'm still afraid of changing light bulbs; that's a Luke job. I can never get the temperature just right in the house. I'm either sweating or turning into an ice cube. 

After we settled in, another COVID-19 lockdown hit that fall. We were stuck together and immediately cut off from seeing our families in person. We went cold turkey. No parents. No family meals together.

It was very intense. We four all worked from home. Ally and I shared a living room upstairs, while Luke and Ryan took the basement.

I didn't know whether to rip my hair out or to be grateful for my roommates and their company. We were instantly stuck together and not used to each other at all. I couldn't find an empty room without someone walking behind me and asking me what I was watching.

I wasn't wishing for isolation but just some alone time.- Samantha Don

The lights were left on in empty rooms. I didn't have any space to myself. And if I had to explain one more time why leaving the water running while brushing your teeth was a waste, I was going to scream.

I wasn't wishing for isolation but just some time alone.

I know I've been fortunate with the way everything turned out. I had a group of people, a support system a room away. Others aren't as lucky. Being surrounded by roommates has made the world a lot more bearable and has softened life's hard knocks.

I'm 25 now and I don't really know anyone else my age who lives alone. It seems like everyone has two, three or more roommates sharing a place. This is normal. Having a place by yourself right now feels like an unreachable goal.

For the four of us, the togetherness is working out, so far. 

Even though I hate being woken up in the morning by the coffee maker and distant kitchen conversations, the house would feel empty and a little sad without my roommates.

They motivate me to get out of bed and be a functioning human being. They remind me when it's time to buy groceries, pay rent and sometimes even shower.

They keep me on track and in check.

And in the end, I'm grateful to never be alone.

This film and is part of Unlocked: Housing stories by young Canadians, a national storytelling series by the CBC Creator Network. These personal stories, produced primarily by gen-Zers and millennials, reveal the challenges young Canadians face finding affordable housing, their creative solutions and their hopes for the future. You can read more stories here.