I'm scared!

[Katie90]

How long did it take y'all to get over being afraid of being homeless? What did you do to prepare? How do you know who to trust and who is sketchy? Before I came to college, I was living in a very small, rural town where everybody was pretty safe. But now I'm not so sure, and being completely on my own scares me. Any tips on how to get over it?

 

[Earth]

- of being homeless - or being on your own, as there is a differance....
I left the nest just prior to age 22, and never looked back - but I was doing the rooming house thing, which today when I look back at those days - I don't know how i did it - but then again - I had nothing worth stealing except my 70 plymouth.....

But, it was a real fast way to save $$$$$$$ to buy a house, which I converted into a studio / gallery so I pretty much as a middle aged man live relatively worry free BUT the threat of being homeless is there.....

I mean, lets face it: the rich pigs destroyed this once great country to live in.
Now it's tough for me - and I'm already established - I would hate to start over.........

My advice?? If you are worried about being homeless - carry nothing of value - be it monitary or sentimental because you can expect to lose it. No animals either - you've got to travel as light as possible and do nothing that draws attention to ya...

Where are you at these days??
Even more important - where are you headed ??

...and how did I do it??
Meaning, not being fearful??
Believe in God......... and keep your body clean and lean

Be safe - and reach out here if need be

 

[L.C.]

You should be. If your not then your not perceiving your situation correctly.

 

[Katie90]

I'm not scared of getting my stuff stolen- after all, it's just things. What scares me is laying down at night in a sleeping bag in a field or in a car and not knowing what's going to happen, if the cops are going to come or other sketchy people. I haven't done this enough to be able to adhere a strict definition to my fear, but it's still there. I'm in Texas right now, but will be headed out soonish. I'm thinking of catching out and going around the country for a while: the most successful homeless person I know told me it was a good way to travel. PLUS I can avoid getting picked up by shady people.

 

[L.C.]

You aren't Katie from Austin are you?

 

[L.C.]

Used to have a pit named Tyler?

 

[Dishka8643]

Maybe you should try slowly transitioning into this lifestyle... start by going backpacking in a state forest. This will teach you to be content with your own company, as well as provide an excellent training ground for testing your gear and learning how to survive in the wild. Learn 3 ways to start a fire without matches, 3 ways to build a shelter without any modern tools or materials, 3 ways to purify water, hunt, trap, scavenge, and fish for food. Construct simple tools like knives, weapons, cordage, clothing, and containers from natural materials. This will train your mind to look for useful resources in your surroundings; as well as how to improvise.

Once you feel comfortable with that, maybe plan a short hitchhiking trip with some friends. Get a feel for backpacking in an urban environment. Keep a journal & take notes. write down things you did wrong, things you did right, what you can improve upon in the future. You will learn a lot. Then apply what you learn on your next trip.

Experience builds confidence, and confidence is an excellent cure for fear.

 

[CdCase123]

stay hidden when you sleep. camp out in rich safe parts of towns. you're from small rural area? stay in small rural areaa

 

[Deleted member 125]

you have good reason to be scared, not every person you meet while travelling is a nice friendly person who wants to help you. research what you are getting yourself into, and try to not be a drunk strung out idiot. common sense goes a long way, if you dont feel comfortable taking a certain ride or sleeping somewhere, just dont. does this realy need to be said that you cant be OMG CARE FREE LIFESTYLE YAYYYYY, people are still fucked and will hurt and use you if you let them.

 

[venusinpisces]

How long did it take y'all to get over being afraid of being homeless? What did you do to prepare? How do you know who to trust and who is sketchy? Before I came to college, I was living in a very small, rural town where everybody was pretty safe. But now I'm not so sure, and being completely on my own scares me. Any tips on how to get over it?

As for who to trust, people who consider violence to be a recreational activity should be avoided or at the very least watched very closely. Is kicking people's head in a big part of their personal identity? This is the first red flag. Also worth mentioning is hard drug habits, particularly speed/crack/heroin but also alcohol. People with habits may not necessarily be dangerous but they usually aren't the greatest friends either. About hopping freight, it might be safer than hitching but not substantially so because yards are often located in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in this country. Personally I would recommend getting a large dog because that tactic helped me more than any other. I am female and frequently traveled alone, FYI. The Rainbow gathering circuit is a lot safer if you want to do things that way. And the advice about sleeping well-hidden in rich neighborhoods is very sound as well. Don't ever start fights but at the same time don't hesitate to defend yourself if necessary. Also, try to have goals that you're working towards instead of aimless drifting because that usually ends badly. Networking with anarchists is good too because with the exception of the occasional protest that is also a very safe environment. Hate to sound all parental but the reality is that there really are things out there that you should be afraid of, as others have said. And if you have other options, such as school or living with friends/family, I would think long and hard before walking away from those opportunities. But it doesn't have to be so dire--it's all about the way you handle it combined with luck and circumstances. Good luck!

 

[venusinpisces]

you're from small rural area? stay in small rural areaa

Good advice!

 

[baconrind]

you dont have to be homeless. Sounds like you have little experience with anything like this. Maybe you should crash on a friends couch or squat a building. You know... before jumping on a train, alone, with zero experience and a big dog.

 

[The Cack]

How long did it take y'all to get over being afraid of being homeless? What did you do to prepare? How do you know who to trust and who is sketchy? Before I came to college, I was living in a very small, rural town where everybody was pretty safe. But now I'm not so sure, and being completely on my own scares me. Any tips on how to get over it?

Being afraid of being homeless depends on why you're homeless. If its your decision, then you'll have less to fear than if it was an abrupt change of circumstances. That leads to your second question:

What did you do to prepare? I'm sure there's some thread on this forum that can tell you equipment needs. Mentally, its a tough game. It makes you something of a pariah or a minor celebrity depending on how well you adjust to living on the streets. Physically, it helps to be robust, prepared for walking a shit-ton. Alot of people get fat on the road, too, and you'll find your health in diminishing returns. More muscle will keep you warmer...

As far a trusting people, be a skeptic. Try to imagine what someone's motivation is for by being in your company. For instance, if you get invited to a nice warm apartment by a guy, I'd err on the side of him trying to have sex with you. Or, it might just be for companionship--fuck, I've had entire days lots to some dude who just talks about himself for hours... or watch vhs tapes of crappy movies... But going with your gut helps you have some street sense.

Where to sleep is the tricky one: Bugs, rain/snow, mold. I once broke into an empty house, only to find it was INFESTED with roaches. Talk about not sleeping!! Other trust-worthy squatters can lead you to good places, but some of those areas get blown up way too often. Not fun to be rousted...

 

[SeeYouInIceland]

if you have access to a public library or fedex kinko's etc., you can check craigslist for rideshare, places to stay, temporary work etc.. put up ads yourself and check others' ads. don't give much personal info. if someone responds and sounds alright, talk to them over the phone and find out more about them. always meet in a public place that's not overly crowded. if possible let someone know where you're going and when you expect to get there as well as who you're traveling with. CL has been tremendously helpful for me, i've even used it to get free haircuts here and there.

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

Being homeless never scared me. I just started to despise people more. I traveled on my own for a year and I was fine. Met alot of people in towns I hung out in and got wicked drunk

 

[Katie90]

LC-Nope! I’m from DFW.
Thank you all for the good advice! I’m not out just yet, but I want to be as prepared as possible for when it happens. I think I’ll be ok; I keep going back and forth between being terrified of what could happen and being excited to go. It wasn’t really my choice, but I can make the best of it. Do y’all travel with other people? How do you find them if you do?

 

[bryanpaul]

How do you find them if you do?

my quick 2 cents on this thread.....there's usually a "hip" area or "main drag" type place in most cities..broadway/the ave. in seattle, lower east side in NYC, guadalupe in Austin, pioneer square in portland, little five points in ATL, haight st. in SF...etc....so if you end up in a city you want to keep asking "where do the people who look like me hang out here?"... or "where do the traveler/punk rocker/hobo/crusty type people hang out here"....so your not guaranteed to run into someone who you think is cool , depending on your standards, actually likely to run into a bunch of dummies...but you have a better shot at seein travelin kids than just being in random suburbs...if nothing else you'll find folks in these "hip" areas who can turn you on to feedings, drop in centers, better parts of town, hop out spots, good ramps for hitching..etc etc.......so yeah...thats what i try to figure out when i roll into a new city..where is the "hip" st. with all the bars and people with backpacks.....as far as sleepin outside...eventually you'll get a feel for good spots...my advice for you, being a girl, is invest in some pepper spray and have i t handy.....and yeah having a travel buddy is the way to go............ good luck....you'll be fine...........there's a section called "rideboard and meetup" where you might find a roaddog

 

[Katie90]

good luck....you'll be fine...........there's a section called "rideboard and meetup" where you might find a roaddog

Just figured out you're talking about people, and not an actual dog. Gotcha.

 

[Teko]

Just figured out you're talking about people, and not an actual dog. Gotcha.

i never heard that getting confused with a dog before... but it does say road dog.... lol

 

[finn]

...Do y’all travel with other people? How do you find them if you do?

You're going to have to figure out how well tuned your vibe sense is, and you should remember that just because your vibe sense doesn't register, doesn't mean that person is a good person. Don't be afraid to look someone in the eyes to figure out what they're going to do. Don't forget that people are people- even in a perfect society there will be shitheads- so stay prepared. Another thing you can do is hide out at universities while you're building up your skills if you keep a small pack.

As for finding people to travel with, one way is to see what they are wearing and carrying. Remember that when you're carrying everything you have, your stuff should be multiuse, durable, compact, and hopefully light. Clothing should also be tough, functional and hide stains well. Also we tend to repair our clothing much more than most people.