College has been such a learning experience. From making new friends to organizing my busy schedule, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that balance is essential. As I embarked on my junior year, I learned that there was a whole new world I had to navigate– apartment life. And with apartment life, comes cooking.
After two years in the dorms, I knew nothing about meal prep, besides that Kraft microwave mac and cheese was superior to Annie’s, and that popcorn microwaved for three seconds too long WOULD cause the fire alarms to go off.
I chose to look at navigating the culinary world as an exciting new hobby, and that it became. Over the summer, I spent time teaching myself how to make new meals, and the reward of a tasty (and edible!) dish was ever-so-pleasing. From pasta bakes to stuffed peppers, I made it all. Knowing that my mom wouldn’t be by my side when cooking in my college apartment, I quickly overcame my fear of catching my house on fire while trying new recipes.
I started small, cooking one meal for my family each week. TikTok became my best friend when it came to finding simple, delicious recipes. Slowly, I was able to build my confidence in this skill, and with the approval of my parents, I felt limitless.
Although many see cooking as a time-consuming chore, I believe cooking has to be seen as an art, a creative freedom, in order to truly enjoy the process. The best part is getting to choose your own meals. Since I’m the one cooking, I never have to eat pork chops again! If I am craving tacos at 2 a.m., I no longer need to spend the gas and money on a late-night Taco Bell run- I have Taco Bell at home.
Attempting new recipes and being successful with them brings so much gratification. Learning to cook was challenging, but overall SO worth it. It has saved me time, money, and it has honestly become a necessary form of self-care. My tips to a beginner chef would be to start small, keep your mind open, and when cooking for just yourself– always halve the recipe.