We have all experienced the luxury of having the house to ourselves. Whether your roommates have left for the weekend or your parents go out for the night, you are on your own. You now have the freedom to rule your house exactly how you want to, with no one else to stop you from doing your thing. Although this is an ideal situation for almost anyone, every perfect moment does have its downfalls. These are the pros and cons to being home alone.

Pros

Alone time.

Once everyone leaves, you can finally get that much needed alone time. With the lack of noise filling your home, you will be able to read a book or write a paper easily without distraction. You finally have time to really relax and unwind, without crazy family members or roommate drama.

No shoes, no shirt, no problem.

It may not be the most appropriate thing to walk around pant-less in front of your parents or roommates, but once they are gone, you can say goodbye to any uncomfortable clothing. You can finally roam free in the clothing, or lack thereof, of your choice.

No rules.

The one rule while no one is around is that there are no rules, am I right? Now, I am not saying that you should throw some Project X type of party, but who’s stopping you from having a couple friends over while the ‘rents are out of town?

Cons

Everything’s a little scary.

Even those who don’t scare easily can admit to having some paranoia when staying home alone. Every little noise becomes a possible intruder and nothing is worse than having to answer the door when no one else is roaming around the house. Having peace and quiet can be blissful, but also horrific when you do not know what every mysterious sound could be.

You are the adult in the house.

You are forced to mature a couple years when stuck at home. No one else is going to get the mail, do the dishes or take out the trash, so when left alone it’s time to grow up and do the things your parents are always begging you to do. You cannot be a normal lazy teen and lounge on the couch while the dog needs to be walked, or the dishwasher needs to be emptied. You have to step your game and become a little responsible.

One is the loneliest number.

Even though having the house to yourself is great, it can get lonely. Eating, laughing and talking to yourself does get old and a little sad after a day or two. Having company is a necessary factor to your day, whether it’s face to face or through a screen, nothing can beat real human interactions.