A Year's Worth : Homelessness

Returning to Ithaca, I realize that truly this is home. The people I hangout with are here. My job is here. My current life is here. However, one major aspect is missing as I arrive : a home.

That's right, I am facing about three months of homelessness in the great Ithaca, NY. By the virtue and graces of my friends, I will not have to face the cold and lack of shelter as many have offered me places to stay. But, still, not having a home has already taught me how spoiled I was with my previous life and makes me appreciate smaller things. So, the homeless engineer has a few suggestions and pieces of advice.

Always Wear and Bring Extra Socks

Feet tend to get stinky. They are sweaty and moisture from the ground gets in them fairly quick. A simple recommendation for everyone is to keep an extra pair of socks with you at all times (or at least when you are carrying a backpack or purse). Although you may never need them, if you get a foot wet a couple of hours before a meeting, you may be paying the price later.

Shower, often

If you are feeling funkified, take a shower. Hygiene, as we all know, is extremely important. People judge you off the first impression. If they can smell you (or your feet, see above) even before you introduce yourself, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Take. A. Shower. Especially college nerds, you can't get a girlfriend if you don't respect and take care of your body first.

Additionally, it shows a sign of mutual respect/trust when you are at a friends place. Taking a shower is much different than simply using the restroom.

Lockers

My last tip of the day is rent lockers or store extra stuff in your office. Now some may say that you can verge on a pack mule, but don't over due it. Store essential items. Backup toothbrush, a pair of pants, etc. If you have a safety stash, you can recover from many things and feel more comfortable.

These points are mostly made in jest, but in truth if you strive to take care of yourself, people are more likely to like you. Mostly, I'm just blowing off steam in response to my new lifestyle. However, I think this will be an interesting endeavor.