Solitude in Living Alone

As the month of October comes to an end, I wanted to center my photo story for this month around how living alone while being back at USC has impacted and changed my relationship with my body and my being as a whole. Living alone is interesting because you begin to notice your quirks and parts of yourself that go unnoticed when you’re out in public. The idea of a home to me has always been sacred; My home is a space where I truly can let my guard down and exist in peace, without any of the surveillance when you’re around other people. Also, this is the first time I’ve lived alone. Having my own space where I get to be as autonomous as I want is a blessing and I’ve noticed how much growth I’ve gone through in things like how I take care of my space and myself. Because I live in a space by myself, I have been wearing fewer clothes around the house because I don’t necessarily need to, and that has also changed the way I relate to showing skin in the world. Being comfortable within my own sanctuary has made me more comfortable in public and private settings. I’m stepping into a space where I feel comfortable showing more skin and more of my body, and it’s really cool to witness yourself changing when you’re in solitude.