I actually put off moving in with a couple of friends this university year because I worried about my mum.
Just as I started to become strong and self-reliant enough to stop relying on my parents, my mum had pretty much the most screwed up year possible and ended up relying on me. Strange how these things work out sometimes. Not that I particularly care about being at home anyway.
It's really cheap to attend university from home, and my lifestyle is so quiet and modest that I wouldn't really do anything differently if I lived alone. Plus I've always gotten along really well with my younger brother, so I'm happy to live under the same roof as him.
Of course I have to move out in third year anyway unless I intend to commute to classes in Japan.
And once I graduate...god knows. Might have to move to the US or Japan to find translation work. Until then, though, I want to stay at home as much as possible. I'd like to hope it's for mostly charitable reasons and not because I'm a total man-child, but I guess we'll find out when the time comes.
Originally Posted by Drageuth
So I'm thinking of making a competition for the artists of EP to help me design my next tattoo, and giving out some sort of prize (probably money, or purchase a game of their choosing under a certain dollar amount, stuff like that) to the one that I like the best.
It is strange how life works out sometimes, but I think you definitely made the right decision. It's important to stay close to your friends, but it's usually not hard to find time for them. On the other hand, it's very easy to take your family for granted after more or less spending every waking minute with them throughout childhood, and getting into this mentality that they'll always be around. Life is short y'know? Knowing that you did everything you could to be there for your family when they needed you there is the most important thing, I'd say 
