Moving into your first apartment is a momentous occasion — you have more freedom than ever. It's an exciting time and it means more independence and more responsibility. It's often the first time people live away from their parents and any other source of guidance or supervision. It easy to be swept away by the magic of it all, but believe me, your first apartment is a learning experience as much as it is an adventure.

1. Pasta is a constant in your pantry.

Pasta's easy, cheap, and keeps well as left overs. Living in your own apartment also means cooking for yourself and after a long day or work or school; chances are, you're gonna want something easy and quick, and pasta fits those qualifications perfectly.

2. The trash fills up quickly and always seems to need to be taken out ASAP.

It's so easy to let the trash fill up and fill up and... fill up without doing anything. But trust me, taking it out regularly and not letting it build up will keep your place feeling cleaner and nicer.

3. You've realized most management companies are only sporadically reliable.

And those are the good management companies. Unfortunately, more often than not, it's difficult to get a hold of the company and even harder to get them to send something out to fix whatever broke.

4. The dishwasher is your lifeline.

Seriously. There's nothing worse than dirty dishes piled up in the sink. Things start growing and it's not pretty. Dish washers save you from this horror. Just rinse and put the dish in there.

5. You clean. A lot.

Five minutes spent dusting or picking up clothes/books/papers makes a huge difference in the overall look and feel of your apartment. A quick spruce and things look and feel way more comfortable, and since this is officially your first adult living space, you do it often.

6. You never have enough utensils.

Utensils are the first things that run out in my apartment; there are never enough spoons. Plastic utensils come in handy, but it's best to have a few metal utensils that will be a bit sturdier.

7. If you have roommates, you've set boundaries right off the bat.

Establishing boundaries early on is important. You want to know what your roommates are comfortable with and you want them to know what you're comfortable with. Without this, things can get tense and awkward real quick, so you (hopefully) handled it ASAP.

8. You can never find a parking spot.

Getting one is like an Olympic event; things get intense. But it's so worth it to find one close to your building, especially after a big grocery haul. There's nothing worse than having to trek back and forth from your car weighed down with your bags.

9. But when you do, you make sure to park perfectly.

The lack of available parking spaces means that if you park crooked or are even close to being in two spaces, you're likely to get a few dirty looks and at least one passive aggressive note on your windshield.

10. Your neighbors, no matter how nice they are, have already annoyed you at some point.

Seriously, how is it possible your upstairs neighbors walk that loudly? And why did the person next door decided that three in the morning was the perfect time to practice on his guitar?

11. You officially feel like an adult.

Adulthood is scary and full of uncertainty, but this first step toward it is one of the most important. An apartment is a huge deal and you've stepped up. Sure, there's going to be some slip-ups, but moving into your first apartment, like all aspects of adulthood, is full of learning experiences and you're going to be just fine.