As a homebody who's never lived away at college, or gone away for an extended period of time without my family, I had no idea what to expect when I decided to move out of my home and into an apartment for my senior year of college.

I've been living on my own now (with a wonderful housemate!) for two months. Here's my list of pros and cons of my experience so far.

First Off, The Pros

1. Eating Out of the Half Gallon of Ice Cream

Yes, this deserves to be first on the list. And, save money by washing fewer dishes when you drink straight from the carton!

2. Peace, Quiet & Relaxation

Focus, meditate, and breathe. Read that book, paint that picture, do that yoga pose; there is time to think about you.

3. Be as Messy/Clean as You Wish

Do your chores on your own time. Your place will be as clean (or as messy) as you leave it.

4. No One Stealing Your Shower Essentials

Gone are the days where your brother uses half of the shampoo you bought specifically for your hair type. Hello to saving money on hair care for one.

5. Dance & Sing Like No One is Watching

Well, unless you have a roommate. Then you might be more careful depending on how much you care.

6. Learn How To Budget

Because if you don't you will have an $85 electric bill and only $74 in the bank.

...And The Cons

1. The 4 Letter Word

Rent. If you can't pay it, [insert other four letter word here]. Thankfully, I've been lucky enough to have support from family members to balance the struggle of paying for rent and tuition.

2. Absence of Home Cooked Meals

You will come home and beg your mom to cook something for you because you miss it so much.

3. Spiders

Invest in a hand-held vacuum or have an on-call bug killer friend/boyfriend. Either will work as a method of defense, but have an emergency plan in place before they come for you. You can even pick up your very own bug vacuum at Target.

4. Grocery Shopping for One

Thought I ate enough food for four people, but somehow I'm throwing out half my kitchen...

5. No One To Help You With Your Outfits

Need to zip up that bangin' dress but you're living alone or your housemate is out? Time to either ditch the dress altogether or get creative!

6. Quiet...a Little Too Quiet

Noise...what was that noise in the middle of the night?

...Spiders. It's probably the spiders coming at you. Just assume it's the spiders and prepare yourself.

Since I've only been out of my parent's house for a little while now, this list is subject to change. A year from now, I will probably reflect on my experience differently. But, I know for a fact that ice cream and spiders will definitely make the list.