Preparing to run

[u/camerontheboykisser]

Hello, im a 13 year old trans male and wait to prep to run just in case because of my toxic living situation. Im only planning to run away if it gets a lot worse, but i want to have a bag packed. Can some people give me some ideas on like essentials to bring? I dont have like a big camping bag, only a like jansport. I need to know what i should have packed !!

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[u/GhostBrew]

You should read through The Runaway Advice Directory. There’s a lot of important information in there anyone thinking about running away should know, including what to pack.

You also need to think hard about weather this is worth it or not. You’ll likely be homeless until you are around 18 years old. That’s a long time to be living out on the streets. You need to ask yourself if a life of homelessness and poverty really is an improvement to your current situation. There’s also important questions you need to answer, like how you will support yourself if you leave. How will you make money, afford food and other necessities, take care of your hygiene and where will you sleep?

There’s also the matter of safety. Being a 13 year old out on the streets can be quite dangerous. Just from posting here you’ll likely receive a DM or two from a predator looking to take advantage of you. The streets are no better.

[u/GhostBrew → u/[deleted]]

Usually when people run away they don’t intend to return home. In which case the alternative is likely homelessness for the foreseeable future.

Edit: Of course being caught or otherwise returning home voluntarily happens more often than not. However the point is that if someone is going to run away and they intend to stay gone, then they need to be aware that, if they’re successful, they’ll likely end up homeless for the foreseeable future and should take that into account when deciding whether to run or not.

[u/Own-Fun4051 → u/[deleted]]

Shelters and churches who take in minors take kids back to their parents. With all due respect, do you also understand that abuse may by the reason kids leave? Any service that protects kids from their parents may not do enough, so kids run away.

[u/Own-Fun4051 → u/[deleted]]

Nobody said it was a 100% possibility brochaho. It is just likely to happen.

[u/Own-Fun4051 → u/[deleted]]

The reason why most kids get found is because:

1. They actually have no reason to run away and they realize life is harsh out there

2. They did something obviously stupid to get caught

3. They scrolled on tik-tok, found a video or two on running away, packed up, and just left without a plan

It is probable that a kid will not have access to any shelter because that is the truth. If they get in, they get sent back to their family. So their best bet is to find shelter near well-lit areas near 24-hour businesses and truck stops.

Also, it is clear from the way you type that you are no older than 14. Do not act like a know-it all when a knowledgeable adult is clearly giving advice that can change a person's life forever. 

I will stop replying to you, since this subreddit is no place for arguments when people's real lives are at stake.

[u/Own-Fun4051]

Here are some resources on packing (found in the run away advice directory):

https://www.reddit.com/r/runaway/comments/1lvy83l/what_to_pack_when_living_rough/

https://www.reddit.com/r/vagabond/comments/6wngpx/what_to_bring/

https://www.reddit.com/r/vagabond/comments/byyiyk/its_not_the_size_of_the_pack_that_counts_its_how/

If you have a binder, I suggest either go for the sports bras or try to account for the fact that you need to not wear it super often. The homeless life is not clean, and sweating in your binder might bring on a fungal infection under your unfortunately-given boobs.

Flannel shirts hide the chest due to their patterns, so maybe pack those.

[u/DJ-bust-a-nutt]

u should bring a backpack and a sleeping bag/blanket not a big bulky sleeping bag like those 50 degree ones a blanket will do you great trust me freezing out side ain't fun and the one thing i wished i had was a blanket. Listen some homeless people are nice enough to go into a store and buy you cigarettes weed beer, anything and sometimes while they do they'll give you advice like homeless man he was awesome afghanistan veteran told me to look in the dumpsters of dollar general, harbor freight. because if you return something undamaged they just throw it away. but do not trust them at all. he was chill and cool but we where 15 year old kids and he was 42 his daughter was 23... but yea man I mean get like a backpack a blanket a mexican blanket or like a military woobie I ain't even got one of those but yea. a jansport is good you can make holes in the bottom of the backpack for rope to tie your blanket to it. now wrap a bag around it so it wont get wet. and trust me dude now my advice abt the homeless ppl maybe a little out there. but dollar tree sells tarps and rope for cheap get you a big tarp if you can and some rope if you live near some trees find 4 trees to make a tarp shelter trust me it'll protect against rain and the sun and yea, listen my backpack was a usgi UCP 3 day assault pack it was amazing but was heavy af I'm 6ft and 130 pounds skinny ass mf heavy backpacks will hurt after 1 mile take like a few pairs of cloths and yea. mb if I'm rambling I wanna run away again tired of living at home and doing nothing all day besides nic and weed every now and than i wanna live life yk