As the end of July approaches, the start of new apartment leases begin. U-Hauls and trailers will crowd the already crowded parking lots and first time apartment leasees will trample through the aisles labeled 'home' in Wal-marts everywhere. While there are always feelings of excitement about moving into a new place, especially when it is your own for the first time, there are lots of lessons to be learned. Whether you learn it the easy way or the hard way, these are the things you never forget after living/moving on your own for the first time.

1. You have to call ahead to turn on the utilities.

Houses and apartments don't automatically come with water and electricity? What kind of world is this? Mind. Blown.

2. Boxes are your friends.

I'm talking about the big cardboard moving boxes, not shoe boxes. You may think you can fit all of your stuff in plastic bags, but you won't thank yourself when you have to make 50 extra trips from your vehicle to your house.

3. Stairs are not your friends.

You may have fought for that third-story view, but you're definitely going to have to work for it.

4. You realize you have a lot of useless stuff.

After a couple of hours, or even days of packing, it becomes a lot easier to throw things away.

5. Your parents were on to something when they kept the AC at 70.

You're finally in the position to control the temp. While it's 98 degrees outside, it may seem like a great idea to bump the AC down to 65, but you won't be thinking that idea was so great when you get the bill.

6. Your new place doesn't clean itself.

You never realized how fast a house can get messy until the magical fairy maid (mom) seems to have disappeared.

7. Your new place also doesn't come with a personal chef.

Once again, the magical fairy chef seems to have forgotten to make her appearance. Looks like it's Chinese delivery again!

8. You realize just how much of a handyman your dad really is.

All of a sudden the kitchen faucet comes loose, the shower drain is clogged and there is an annoying beep coming from the ceiling. Weekly phone calls to dad are a must.

9. You also realize you have to kill the bugs now.

You can scream "Dad! There's a bug in here!" all you want but at the end of the day, you muster up enough courage to throw your shoe at the creepy crawly thing from at least a five-foot distance. Whatever works.

10. After you get the hang of it, being independent isn't so bad.

The first couple of months are the hardest, but after you get the hang of things, living on your own is kind of refreshing. Especially when you realize you can jump on the bed all you want.