Freedom at last, no parents, no curfew, you can choose what you want to eat, and how much you eat. No pesky siblings breathing down your neck and a whole pad to deck out in Urban Outfitters apartment decorations. This all sounds really enticing, but when it actually happens, it can be daunting, and harder than you imagined. Here are the 10 things I wish I would have known before moving into my own place.

1. You must learn to cook. Luckily my Mom (S/O to you) armed me with the knowledge to make more than a few staple meals. But it will take a lot of trial and error to learn what you enjoy cooking, and what you’re capable of cooking.
2. It is expensive. Not being in a dorm or at home means buying food, paying for water and electricity, buying decorations, and buying necessities like toilet paper and paper towel; things you don’t think add up, that they 100 percent do.
3. Your pad will not be as sweet as you think. You will probably end up taking odd furniture from the basement of your parent’s home to furnish your place, and it may not look as amazing as you want it to. It’s very enticing to go crazy at the furniture store, but that will set you back quite literally thousands. So, you settle for hand-me-downs and Christmas lights.
4. Cleaning is real and necessary. Cleaning a dorm or bedroom was easy. But cleaning syrup off the ground and dusting an entire apartment is neither fun nor entertaining, but it’s necessary unless you want funky odors and mice. Taking out the trash is also a part of daily life; so don’t let it pile up.
5. Roommates will drive you crazy. I have decent roommates, but they will get on your last nerves at times. Whether they are sloppy, loud, or have never done a dish in their life, they pay rent too and picking your fights carefully becomes a necessary part of having a peaceful home.
6. Bills exist! Wild right? Well, you can’t forget to pay them. Not only are you paying rent, but also paying for water, wifi, and electricity, but you may have to pay for cable and your other services like Netflix or Spotify. The easiest way to keep on track is using a planner to make sure you don’t forget.
7. Commuting is part of your life. Before, you might have been able to walk to class from your dorm, but now you might be hoping a bus or driving to class. Every commute takes time, which you must factor into your scheduling and realize what’s practical and what’s not.
8. Laundry isn’t as easy as it used to be. In dorms or at home, you either go up a floor and do laundry or have your Mom or Dad help you out. Living on your own, you might have to pay for laundry, have your roommates hog the washer and dryer, or go to a Laundromat.
9. Your food will disappear and the fridge turns into a wasteland. Are your roommates eating your food? Are you eating your food? You could have sworn to have leftover Chili’s. Hmmmm. Also, if there are spills in the fridge, they need to be cleaned because nothing is worse than a moldy fridge.
10. You can have friends over and have parties with very little complaints. No parents or R.A. peeping in, but you do have to watch out for the cops and people breaking your stuff.

Leaving the comfort of home, or a temporary home in a dorm seems liberating and amazing, and in many ways it is. However, there is responsibility and problems you may not have even considered.