I'm sitting in the warm glow of my new lights, typing this on my phone to the sound of my new fridge-freezer. It's an enthusiastic beast that froze my houmas, and yes, I put it in the right compartment. I have just moved home, and despite boredom, I am loving it!

I've only ever lived with other people before: with my parents, in halls, or in a shared house. I've spent a not inconsiderable amount of time alone in each, but this is the first time I'm living truly independently. No shared...