Leonie Müller is, for the most part, a typical college student. She does homework, visits her long-distance boyfriend, and regularly updates her blog.
But just over two months ago, 23-year-old Müller chose to leave conventionality behind and live exclusively on trains.
The Washington Post reports that Müller, a German millennial, made the decision spontaneously after a spat with her landlord.
"I instantly decided I didn't want to live there anymore — and then I realized: Actually, I didn't want to live anywhere anymore," she explains to The Post's Rick Noack.
Müller purchased a train pass called the Bahn Card 100, which provides unlimited access to all German rail systems for 379 euros per month (about $440). Though this is less expensive than the rent Müller was paying — 450€, or $522 USD — saving money isn't actually the point.
"I want to inspire people to question their habits and the things they consider to be normal," Müller told The Post. "There are always more opportunities than one thinks there are. The next adventure is waiting just around the corner — provided that you want to find it."
The nomadic train living will also serve Müller academically. She plans to use the observations of train life as part of her dissertation for college.
Though American college students don't have access to the same great European train systems, there is plenty of inspiration to be drawn from Müller's spontaneity and resourcefulness as a millennial.
Müller's alternative lifestyle is being documented on her travel blog, "Wherever You Go, There You Are!" and has picked up plenty of press attention around Europe.
She also has an Instagram and Twitter account.
Her first post about voluntary homelessness included her simple plan: "A year. A BahnCard 100. No permanent accommodation. And me."
Müller has successfully pared down her belongings, as she explains in a FAQ section, to "a backpack with a few things (clothes, laptop, confetti gun)...I think it's wonderful to limit my active ownership needed to the contents of a medium sized luggage."
Müller also revealed how she manages to get enough sleep. She stays the night at her boyfriend's apartment, or with other friends and family. Though "several times" she has slept on the train. Müller notes that a "few hotels, and Couchsurfing/Airbnb visits are also planned."
"Digital nomadism", as Müller identifies it, appeals to her because of "the spatial and temporal separation between work and leisure."
Though the adventure may grow stressful at times, Müller feels confident."Peace is in me and around me for me no matter of their own living space." However, she admitted to The Post: "Possessing a headset that mutes most surrounding noises is crucial."
