IELTS essay sample | Do high rise apartments make people lonely and unhappy?

Essay topic

Some people say that living in high-rise apartments feels very lonely and makes people unhappy. Others say there are advantages to living in a big apartment building. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Sample response

Where we live perhaps has no real impact on how we feel. People living in high rise buildings also have neighbours and it is possible to make friends with them. So, I don’t think that just because someone is living in a high-rise apartment, it will make them lonely and unhappy. It all depends upon our general disposition.

Some people enjoy spending time with others. They make friends wherever they live. They are sociable and find happiness in company. When such people live in high-rise apartments, they will have friends there as well. Actually many apartment complexes have amenities like clubs, gyms and amphitheatres. These amenities provide a greater opportunity to interact with others living in the same housing complex. On the flip side, apartment living might make it difficult for introverts to make friends. Since they are unlikely to go out and make friends, they may detest living in apartments where their chances of coming face to face with their neighbours are rather slim. Such people will be better off living in traditional houses where they have greater opportunities to meet and interact with their neighbours.

Apartment living has several benefits. Apartments tend to be safer than standalone homes with large yards. Also, high rise apartments provide excellent views. A lot of people enjoy the panoramic view of the surroundings they get from their apartments.

Another benefit is the easy access to amenities. Since high rise apartments are more likely to be located in prime residential areas, people living in them will have better access to amenities. Also, apartment buildings tend to have several amenities that homes lack. For example, many of them have gyms, clubs, amphitheatre, jogging parks and swimming pool. While it is possible to build such facilities in homes, very few homes actually have these.
To conclude, apartment living certainly does not make a person lonely or unhappy. If a person is sociable they will have friends no matter where they live and if they are not sociable they will feel lonely in traditional homes as well.