The silver lining of living with your parents

Growing up we have all glorified the idea of moving out of our parent's homes and into our own abodes. Be it the ban on pets or the rigid mealtimes, we can all agree we've spent hours planning all the little details of having a place of our own. However, as we grow up, we start appreciating many such rules and protocols set by our parents for completely different reasons. So, if you still haven't found the silver lining to living in a Bangladeshi household, allow me to shed some light on the blessing in disguise. 

HAVING A REASON TO BAIL ON PLANS

It's a beautiful rainy day with a soft breeze and you hate that you have classes to attend. You'd love to just stay in, sleep some more, and complete watching that show you've been meaning to but you've already made plans with your friends and won't be able to enjoy the day in even if you can afford to miss said classes. Suddenly you remember that you've already been out with friends once this week, and that becomes your saving grace. Need I say more?

HAVING FOOD TO COME HOME TO

Coming from a person who genuinely enjoys cooking, trust me when I say it is not an easy task to come home and not find food. Be it an entire day of exams or work, it's never pleasant to plan out your next meal. No matter how much we've complained about having the same few dishes repeated every day, I think we can all agree that nothing can beat the classic daal-bhaat-murgi after  a long day (especially when you didn't have to cook it yourself).

HAVING A REASON TO AVOID PHONE CALLS

Let us all anonymously agree that even though the invention of telephone has been extremely important and has taken the world many steps further at once, phone calls have sadly become a lot more work than they were meant to be. Have you noticed that whenever you're on a call, somehow the entire family finds something or the other for you to do particularly at the precise time? Starting from your mom to that aunty you don't even know how you're related to, they have in one way or the other interrupted you or called for you when you were on a call. Is it humiliating? Yes. Would you use it to end an extremely uncomfortable phone call? You bet.

HAVING A HOME AFTER YOU'VE REACHED 'THE AGE'

Let's put it this way. Western culture is great and we're very thankful for the good movies and songs, but hey, we still have a home after the terrible age of eighteen. It's great if you can (and are permitted to) move out of you parent's home after eighteen, kudos to you! If you don't or can't though, you really have to appreciate having a loving home where your family isn't breathing down your neck to find your own place. Okay maybe it isn't that bad, but peer pressure is a thing, okay?

Even though all my secrets are out and I might be getting significantly less phone calls, I hope I could enlighten you and help you sleep a little better on the bed your parents bought you years ago.

Syeda Afrin Tarannum would choose 'The Script' over 'G-Eazy' any day. Continue ignoring her taste in music on: afrintara@gmail.com