Not many people can say they moved out at the age of 18 by themselves. I am one of the lucky few who moved out into the city in a one bedroom apartment all on my own, and although it’s a lot of fun, I have also learned a lot.

1. It gets lonely, I will be the first to admit it. You wish you could walk out of your room and see your siblings or parents watching TV, but it’s not like that anymore. It can be tough coming home after a long day and not having someone there to talk to or hug. You don’t always have someone to help you cook or clean anymore, but the benefits of living alone certainly outweigh the tough situations.
2. I have always been extremely independent, but now I have learned independence on a whole new level. I have to fend for myself almost every minute of the day. Sure, mom and dad are only a phone call away, but sometimes you need to figure things out on your own. I cook, I clean, I do my own laundry. I fix things that are broken and make lists of things to buy when I run out. I have a lot on my mind every minute of the day. I am officially an adult that gets to fend for herself, and to many this may be intimidating, but for me I feel empowered.
3. Cooking is one of the most difficult things to learn. Whether I have to follow a recipe or not, I always seem to mess something up. Making sure you have the right amount of spices, and the right pots and pans is stressful. Never mind making sure your portions are correct. I will be honest, a few nights a week I skip cooking all together and make a microwave meal for one and call it a night.
4. You discover ways to have fun on your own. I have learned that I can have fun at the gym downstairs, or throwing my hair up and shoving ice cream in my face. Sometimes I like to invite my friends over and have a dance party, and sometimes we go out at night. You learn to discover new and cheap ways to have fun that don’t always involve spending money or partying.
5. You learn who really cares. Some people will use you because you have your own place, and you can see right through that. You learn that those who care will text you whenever to hang out, not just on a Friday night when they have nowhere else to go. It's fun to have those friends over who actually care and order some food and watch shitty TV shows for hours on end.