It's an addictive lifestyle

In 2017, I shared an apartment with two other young women. I was working at my company's Shanghai office after finishing my master's at the city's Tongji University that year.

It would have been too expensive for me to live alone because the monthly rent－about 6,000 to 7,000 yuan ($926 to $1,080)－would have accounted for almost my entire salary.

Things have changed since April last year, when I was redeployed to the Shandong office in Jinan, the provincial capital.

I moved to Qingdao in January. The rent here is about 2,500 yuan per month. That's much lower than in Shanghai.

Now, the lower rent means I never think about sharing.

More importantly, my increasingly heavy workload makes me cherish time alone much more. I wouldn't have much time to get together with roommates, anyway.

I have my own preferences for apartments. The local environment comes first and foremost as I need to be near a shopping mall and gyms, which aid my daily life.

Usually, I spend three or four days on business trips every week. When I have time at home, normally on weekends, I watch TV, do the housework and go to dance classes at the gym.

I enjoy living alone. It feels good, but I have had a few mishaps. I remember there was a sudden power cut in my apartment on the first day back at work after the Spring Festival holiday.

It came directly after I had finished my evening shower, so I had to find somewhere to dry my hair. However, when I got back to my apartment, I discovered that I hadn't brought the key. I locked myself out for the night.

Actually, sharing doesn't trouble me. In fact, it is all about personal living style and preferences and my budget.

From my own experience, living alone does not suit everyone.

Finances are the first problem. It's better to make sure the monthly rent only accounts for about one-third of the salary, so one's everyday finances aren't affected.

Also, the ability to take care of oneself is key. It's not easy for those who love a busy life to live alone because they may feel lonely and helpless.

For me, living alone is addictive; the longer I do it, the more I love it. Of course, I wouldn't reject a man or my future loved one to continue my single life, but so far, I am enjoying it.

Lu Minmin spoke with Cheng Si.