I've lived alone for 6 years (age 23-now), and it's been a great thing for me.

I have a dog, so that helps with the loneliness, just having something around that makes noise and keeps me on a schedule. I'm not very tidy in general, but the state of my apartment is a great indicator of my mood.

I don't worry about safety; I live in a good neighborhood in a small city and know my neighbors. When I go home alone late at night, I always text the person I was with to let them know I got home OK. They might not be concerned, but it gives me peace of mind that someone would know whether or not I got there.

There are some days, though, that I wish someone was there who could see me and tell me I need help. It's hard to recognize that on the bad days, and roommates were good at that.