You wake up one morning,
only to realize that your family has disappeared.
There's not a soul in sight.
The usual sound of traffic outside is gone.
Cars are left empty
and abandoned on the street.
Birds, and other wildlife
are still roaming around,
unaware of the lack of humans.
Could you be the last person on the planet?
Deadly virus?
Alien invaders?
Zombie apocalypse?
Whatever the reason, the odds of humanity
being wiped out and you surviving
is incredibly low.
Nearly 7.8 billion people
would have to disappear, except for you.
But, if you did end up being
the last person on Earth,
You could go stay back in your home,
but if you're the last person on Earth,
you could live in any house you wanted.
But don't settle down too fast.
You'll want to live somewhere
that'll protect you from
the new threats in the world.
Early on, it would be okay to live in a city.
There'll be a lot of stores with food,
water, and supplies nearby.
But after a while, without proper maintenance,
the city will start to fall apart.
Buildings will start to rust and deteriorate,
and roads will start to crack,
fill up with water,
or become overrun with vegetation.
Most roads will be too dangerous
to drive on in as little as 20 years.
Ideally, the safest place
to find shelter is on a hill.
It'll give you a good view of what's around you,
and you'll be protected from flooding.
But moving away from the city
comes with a number of threats too.
You'll be moving into the company
of some new neighbors,
wild animals.
Look for a house with a decent fence.
It'll help to keep these crazy critters out.
You also might want to find a gun,
a spear, or a bow.
Figure out a way to defend yourself
against predators.
Both you and the animals
are going to be on the hunt for food.
Grocery stores will be your best option
to find food, and lots of it.
But without electricity to keep
the fridges running,
fresh and frozen foods
will spoil in about 4 hours.
You might want to savor the taste
of fresh meat or veggies,
because it might be the last time
you can enjoy them.
Stock up on canned or preserved foods.
They'll be safe to eat for up to five years.
Gather lots of bottled water too.
Without electricity, and people to
maintain pumping stations
and treatment plants,
you won't have any access to tap water.
As you settle into your new home,
the harsh reality of being alone
starts to set in too.
Surviving as the last person on Earth
isn't just physically taxing,
it'll be mentally and emotionally draining.
It's important to come to terms
with your new reality, and how to cope with it.
You'll need some time to grieve the loss
of your loved ones and the world you knew.
Try your best to acknowledge your feelings
and work through them.
It'll be hard without social support,
but there's still a lot things
you can do to get through it.
Picking up a new hobby,
learning something new,
or even having a daily routine
can help you cope with grief.
And if you're feeling lonely or depressed,
finding a pet can help you feel better.
Even though all the people
in the world are gone,
you can still find companionship
with a furry friend.
Eventually, your supplies of food and water
will run out,
and gasoline will go stale about in two years.
You're going to have to learn to live sustainably.
Since you can't Google anything anymore,
go to the library
and get some books to help you survive.
Learn how to farm, hunt, forage,
and preserve your food.
Carrots, green beans, and lettuce
are some of the easiest vegetables to grow.
But growing food will cut into your
limited amount of bottled water.
It'll be important to learn how to find
sources of fresh water and how to purify it.
While surviving in this situation is difficult,
trying to stay sane would be even harder.
As the years go by, even with a pet,
you'll be without human company
for a long time.
Humans evolved as social beings.
Civilization is built on
thousands of years of teamwork,
communication, and empathy.
So, the next time you're a
bit annoyed by the people around you,
be thankful that they're here.
Social isolation can be more
damaging to your health than you might think.
Don't worry. We'll give you company
and show you how to deal with social isolation on How to Survive.