I'm a millennial who can finally afford to live alone. But I choose to live with a roommate so I don't feel lonely.

• I thought living alone in my own apartment would be the ultimate measure of success.
• But I felt lonely and isolated when living alone, so I moved in with a friend.
• I'm happier — and saving money — now that I'm sharing a place to live.

As a hardworking, single woman who turned 30 this year, I was "living the dream" by most people's standards. The dream is to earn enough money to pay my own bills, to make my own decisions, and — maybe most importantly — to live by myself.