Erin, I am so glad to hear about how comfortable you are with what you do. I am in a similar situation as a student, and still not totally clear on how to handle it.
A question, though: for those SPs (and of course hobbyists as well) who are just starting out, how did you ensure your safety, especially when going on outcalls, if no one knew where you would be and with whom in order to contact you? That's one of my main concerns about being an indie...no one knows, so I can't exactly call a friend to let her know that, for example, she can start panicking if she doesn't hear from me in x amount of time. It is, as I see it, one of the clear advantages of being with an agency, and I don't know how to make up for that without being affiliated as such.