*This was originally written in 2016 when I started this blog, so some of the information is outdated, but I am leaving it like it is as it is still relevant/accurate for my earlier posts.*
For those of you who are curious, here is a list of FAQ’s regarding the logistics of living in your car {{or anything else common enough to add}}
-Do you actually live in your car? — I suppose that depends on you definition of lives. Do I spend most of my time partaking in activities like I would in a house? No. Most of my time is spent in buildings on campus, stores, or outside. Do I eat in my car? Occasionally. I have very little food so I need to ration out, so there really is not much food to be eaten in general, let alone eaten in the car. Do I sleep in the car? Yes. Occasionally I may make arrangements elsewhere, but my car is, more often than not, where I sleep. It is my office, kitchen, pantry, transportation, storage facility, closet, and bedroom. So yes, I suppose I do actually live in my car.
-What do you do for showers? — Because I am currently a college student, I have access to my university’s gym and, therefore, its locker rooms which contain showers. It can be a bit tricky though because the gym is only open Monday-Thursday during July through the first couple of weeks in August. I have managed to sneak into one of the university’s dorm apartment buildings though and have spent multiple nights {{and taken subsequent showers when I wake up}} as they have some of the unoccupied suite doors open. But relax, I always manage to find somewhere to shower every morning, especially in this humid weather.
-Where do you spend all of your time? — I am taking an online course over the summer, so much of my time is spend in places where I can access a computer with wifi. Since my university has ongoing graduate classes during July, various buildings around campus are open 4 days a week {{M-TR}}, with some of the academic buildings “open” the other 3 days {{typically only one or two doors, but they keep them quasi-open for the current students}}. When the buildings close I generally sit outside, somewhere in the shade and access to wifi. Other times I might make my way into a residence hall and hang out in a study lounge. Aside from that I might go on a walk or hike, maybe go to the store. Being unable to find a job definitely frees up a lot of my time.
-What do you do for food? — I have some food leftover from last semester or purchased when I had readily accessible funds. Nothing perishable as I do not have a reliable access to a refrigerator. I may eat food from a can {{like fruit or beans}}, applesauce, granola bars, nuts. Basically anything I was able to scavenge or save from some time previously. I am on a strict, rationed diet. It sucks, but I am able to eat a little something everyday and something is better than nothing at all. I have two water bottles and I fill them up whenever or wherever I can. I also chew gum—it helps with the hunger pains.
-Where do you park? — So far I have only parked on campus. Usually in parking lots with low light and other cars around.
-What is it like? — One word: terrifying. I sleep on the floor of my car, windows cracked, and covered by bags so no one will see me. I hear every sound outside which keeps me up or wakes me up suddenly. Then there is the ever present fear that someone might come and take literally everything you own in just one easy swoop. Living in my car has truly changed me and I am not sure it is for the better. My entire thought process is different now. Because all I own is in one spot, my mindset has changed and I cling—quite literally—to whatever I have with me, be it a backpack or something small. I look at the world differently and oftentimes I fail to realize that everyone looking at me is not aware of my situation. Just because I am sitting on a bench with a backpack does not indicate that I am without a home. There is a lot of shame that comes along with it, as well as the intense amount of creativity and adaptibility required to do this successfully. The art of figuring out where I can get a drink of water or where I am going to take a shower is one that demands a high level of ingenuity not typically possessed by the average person. I appreciate everything more than I ever did—even something as simple as a bathroom.
-Would you recommend this to anyone else? — No. I would never recommend this to anyone who could avoid it. This is not an experience I would wish on anyone—not even my worst enemy.
thecrazyones 