Before this summer, I had never lived alone. Heck, for three of my college years, I didn’t even have my own room. Don’t get me wrong, having two friends permanently hanging out can be pretty fun. There’s always someone else to make dinner, and you’re never alone on a Friday night. But after living alone, I think I’m going to keep flying solo.

I realized that living alone is a privilege enjoyed by people who love Lean Cuisine, Netflix and cheap wine. Just my kind of crowd! It’s not something everyone gets to do. So for all those tied-down, “I have my crap together” friends, hats off. But between you and me, you’re missing out.

1. My apartment, AKA “No-Pants City”

No one knows or cares if I spend all my free time in my underwear. And my lower-half appreciates the freedom. Plus, let’s be honest, everything is more fun in pajamas.

“What are you doing, neighbor Joe?”

“Oh, I’m filing taxes. Payin’ the man! What about you?”

“I’m making cookies in my underwear!”

Fun, huh? I bet even taxes are more fun without pants.

2. No passive-aggressive sticky notes

It happens to every apartment community. One person is neat, and always ends up cleaning the dishes of the messy one. The neat one begins feeling used, unjustly treated, just because of their higher cleanliness standards. So begin the sticky notes.

Somehow, a note saying “Don’t eat the casserole, it’s for my Nana” brings about expletives and other cruel, judgmental language. The sticky that says “Please don’t wake me up until 8:30” makes your roommates sneer. What a lazy-ass bum! We can blast Queen while shaving our legs if we want!

Then you remember that at one point, you were nervous to knock at these people’s dorm room. Oh, the days of sitting awkwardly in the hallway together, pretending to “work” on your laptop when you were really on Facebook, but dying for some real interaction.

3. Quiet time is all the time

After the daily grind, the last thing I want is to make obligatory small-talk, or hear about someone else’s day. Honestly, I would much rather eat spaghetti and frozen yogurt horizontally while using my chest as a placemat. It’s what I do best.

I’m not a J.D. Salinger-esque recluse. But I need my space. With the right flavor of Oreos and movie selection, I could probably stay in my apartment for about 36 hours before getting bored. Sad? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

4. My food is exactly how I left it.

No one will eat my brownies except me, unless I decide to share (I usually don’t). No one will eat my leftovers as a pre-lunch snack. If I put something in the refrigerator, chances are it will still be there the next day, in the same portion I left it. Beautiful.

5. I can sing to myself all day!

Living alone means no one can judge you for anything you may do while alone in your apartment (unless you have thin walls). If I want to impersonate Bridget Jones singing “All By Myself,” more power to me! I can talk to myself, and no one can call me crazy. If I want to narrate an episode of Gilmore Girls, there’s no reason to feel self-conscious. Luke Danes can sound like Papa Smerf all day long at my place.

In the end, living alone means freedom from rules and judgement. It’s the Wild, Wild West of domestic life! Look out, Joe next door, I feel a song coming on…