trigger warning

FOOD

Find your nearest food bank or mission, for food

grocery stores with free samples, bakeries + stores with day-old bread

different fast food outlets have cheaper food and will generally let you hang out for a while.

some dollar stores carry food like cans of beans or fruit

SHELTER

Sleeping at beaches during the day is a good way to avoid suspicion and harassment

sleep with your bag strapped to you, so someone can’t steal it

Some churches offer short term residence

Find your nearest homeless shelter

Look for places that are open to the public

A large dumpster near a wall can often be moved so that flipping up the lids creates an angled shelter to stay dry

HYGIENE

A membership to the YMCA is usually only 10$, which has a shower, and sometimes laundry machines and lockers.

Public libraries have bathrooms you can use

Dollar stores carry low-end soaps and deodorant etc.

Wet wipes are all purpose and a life saver

Local beaches, go for a quick swim

Some truck stops have showers you can pay for

Staying clean is the best way to prevent disease, and potentially get a job to get back on your feet

Pack 7 pairs of socks/undies, 2 outfits, and one hooded rain jacket

OTHER

first aid kit

 sunscreen

 a travel alarm clock or watch

 mylar emergency blanket

 a backpack is a must

 downgrade your cellphone to a pay as you go with top-up cards

 sleeping bag

 travel kit of toothbrush, hair brush/comb, mirror

 swiss army knife

so if you're leaving, here's to you.

if you're not ready to leave, here's to you too.

and no i do not mean blaming mental illnesses for your shitty behaviour, that is a completely different thing

i mean stuff like not being able to reply to messages in days, maybe even weeks. not being able to see anyone/meet up with anyone or canceling plans. being so numb you can’t cry when you’re ”supposed” to cry (like at a funeral etc.)

fucking creepy ass mf please block this guy

^ my msg with him

:/

he told me to cut his initial into me too lol

in elementary school they put everyone on the line and said the number of beeps you made it to in the pacer was a measure of your grade, worth, and health

in middle school they gave us each 10 m&ms and then we went on a walk, counting the steps until we’d walked far enough to burn them off

in high school my running coaches gave us a number that was the ideal weight for runners and worked harder for the girls that hit that number

in college i would come home to grandparents praising how much weight i’d lost and fondly calling me tiny

and then they all turn around and ask me why are you like this? why can’t you stop thinking about this? why are you so obsessed?

do you think this is beautiful?