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Your Guide to Living Off-Campus: Meal-Prepping Edition

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter.

Moving off-campus has its list of perks. Not having to use a communal bathroom or sleep on a twin XL mattress are two upgrades that are definitely on the top of that list. You also have way more space, privacy, and freedom. It also makes you feel like an actual adult because let’s face it, dorm-living keeps you in a college student bubble. 

Photo Credit: The Financial Diet

One of the few cons of living off-campus is not having a meal plan. The convenience of going to a dining hall between classes is one of the best perks of living on-campus. Although you can still go to the dining hall when you live off-campus by using your friends’ guest swipes, that’s not always an option. And we all know that it’s definitely not ideal to eat out for every meal. 

Having your own kitchen is one of the highlights of making the switch from a college dorm to an off-campus apartment. While I’m personally guilty of eating out very frequently, it’s definitely more affordable to make your own meals at home. It can sometimes get annoying to go back and forth to your apartment for food, so that’s why I love to prep my meals in advance.

Photo Credit: Pop Sugar

Planning out each meal may sound stressful, but it’s necessary if you want to avoid eating out all the time and cut back on spending. An easy way to plan out your meals for the week is to have a visual of your daily schedule. I recently started using Google Calendar, but any online calendar service that gives you a clear layout of your day-to-day schedule works just as well. 

Photo Credit: That Sugar Movement

Once you can visualize your schedule then you can plan to make meals in your gaps of free time. If you know you have to be on campus during your usual lunchtime, make sure to plan your lunch accordingly. You don’t necessarily have to pack a three-course meal, but just make sure you have something filling that will satisfy you until you can get back to your apartment. Once you figure out your schedule and get accustomed to planning/making your own meals, living off-campus will definitely feel more rewarding. Plus, it’s a great change from the typical college dorm life.

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Clarissa is a senior majoring in Journalism at Boston University's College of Communication. Besides writing, Clarissa loves Srabble, astrology, and satire. ?
Writers of the Boston University chapter of Her Campus.