Dorm Cooking Made Easy

I don’t know about you, but some of our school food is really terrible. The other day for dinner Marissa and I got pasta in a bell pepper and basil sauce from our on-campus café. Sounds pretty good, right? WRONG. It was awful. It was flavorless and soggy and just… ick.

Instead of wasting a meal swipe, we brought our dinner back to our room and made a few tweaks. Because we always have pasta sauce at hand, we mixed some sausage marinara with the reject pasta and popped it in the microwave for a few seconds. Then, we added some grated cheese (the kind that comes in a shaker). The result? An awesome pasta dish!

Like I’ve said before, it’s always important to keep a variety of food at hand in your room. Instead of throwing away something that looked a lot better than it tasted, fix it! Add more cheese to your lackluster mac & cheese. Put fresh mayo on your sandwiches. Make your own salad dressing. When you get sick of the food your school offers, instead of ordering out all the time, use these tricks! Your wallet AND your tummy will thank you.

Since we’ve been going to the same school for three years, we know what to expect. We are fully prepared to have to make our own dinners every once in a while. Measuring cups, a pot, a colander, and an assortment of cooking utensils live under my bed.

I strongly suggest taking advantage of your dormitory kitchen. Even making something simple, like buttered pasta or mac & cheese, will give you a nice break from the meals you usually get in the cafeteria. It’s also a great way to spend time with your friends.

Freshman year, we would organize “family dinner night” every once in a while. Everyone would chip in and buy part of the meal. Then we’d all get together in our dorm kitchen, play some music, and cook together.

I remember one time we made rice and some kind of chicken. We only had sushi rice at hand and the chicken was a little burnt. It wasn’t the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten, but we had so much fun goofing off and cooking together.

Those were some of the best nights I’ve ever had at school, even though we had to eat on the floor (we had a kitchen, but no table. Go figure).

I love cooking, and even though our dorm kitchen this year is small, I can still make my own meals from time to time.

What about you? What’s the greatest dorm recipe you’ve ever made? How do you deal with your school’s food?

Dorm Life: As Told By a College Freshman

My cousin, Justine, just started college in the fall. She was a little nervous about moving in with her new roommate, as well as starting a new life away from home. But she was mostly excited to be on her own.

I told her about my blog and she was happy to give me an interview. This way you guys have a chance to see dorm life from someone else’s perspective.

Cas: How do you like your room?

Justine: I like my room a lot. My roommate and I made it homey and we decorated it nicely, but it is a very small place to live in.

C: Did you coordinate with your roommate?

J: No, we did not coordinate colors or decor before school or anything.

C: And how did that work out?

J: We both did our own thing and it actually turned out nicely. We put a lot of pictures up, so our decorations are somewhat similar. Just our bedspread and color schemes are not the same. But once we got here we bought a lot of storage and fancy bins that we both share and match both of our sides.

C: How are you getting along with your roommate? How did you get to know each other?

J: We get along very well; she is my best friend at school. We do everything together. And, honestly, I’m not sure how we went about getting to know each other. It sort of just happened after hanging out and talking, either in our room or out.

C: What’s your favorite thing about living in a dorm?

J: I live with my best friend and I have a bunch of other friends right down the hall.

C: Least favorite?

J: The size of the room and the amount of space that I have.

C: How did/do you meet people on your floor?

J: We sort of just walked into people’s rooms on the first week here at school and have been hanging out ever since.

C: How much time do you spend in your dorm room?

J: A lot of time. Normally when I’m not in class, you can find me in my dorm or at the gym. I never go to the library and I eat most of my meals in my dorm, so most of the time.

Justine and I were both lucky enough to have a smooth transition into college. Our rooms turned out to be visually pleasing, and we ended up with great roommates. I wish things worked out that way for everyone! What’s the worst (or best) experience you’ve had so far living in a dorm?

A Clean Dorm Makes For Happy Dorm Dwellers

I know it may seem obvious, but I cannot stress how important it is to keep your dorm room clean. Because they’re only scrubbed down once a year, they are a breeding ground for bugs and bacteria. Last year, FOUR girls were moved out of their freshman dormitory into my hallway due to bedbug infestations. And there is NOTHING as awful as a bedbug infestation.

 By keeping your room clean, you can save yourself a lot of trouble (ant infestations, strep, dust allergies….)

·         Always keep anti-bacterial wipes at hand. Wipe down your desk, your bed frame, anything that gets touched a lot and probably isn’t often clean.

·         Open your windows when you can. Letting in a little fresh air will make your room feel fresher and circulate all that still, stale, dorm room air.

·         Be sure to have disinfectant spray at hand, like Lysol. Spray down your trash can after you empty it and your whole room every once in a while.

·         Get a duster (the Swiffer ones are the best). Dust the top of your furniture and hard to reach corners. Your sinuses will thank you.

·         Throw food away! We (Marissa and I) made the mistake last year of leaving a few cupcakes uncovered overnight. The result? An army of ants. We were infested for about a month, despite endless visits from pest control. Keep everything covered and wash used dishes. Trust me, as much as you hate washing the dishes, you’ll hate an ant-covered floor even more.

·         Clean out the fridge. Food gets old fast, especially when you forget about the sandwiches mom sent you home with two weeks ago. Throw the old stuff out every once in a while, to avoid having to scrub down your whole fridge.

·         We have this lovely air freshener from Bath & Body works called the ScentBug. It’s small, compact, and you can put in any fragrance you want. It’s a great investment. It’ll make your dorm smell less like, well, a dorm.

·         Vaccuum! Whenever you can. It’ll make a huge difference. Because shoes are often left on in a dorm room, tons of dirt gets into your carpet. Ick. Take advantage of your floor vacuum.

·         Febreeze is a college dorm essential. Your carpet absorbs every odor in the air, which is why dorms tend to smell kind of horrible. Although it doesn’t last forever, use a fabric refresher. It’ll make your room plenty more enjoyable to be in.

Cleaning may not seem like the most fun thing to do on the weekend, but Marissa and I dedicate our Sundays to “room cleaning.” We don’t have time during the week, and the room gets kind of gross by Sunday. It’s kind of nice to spend the day in with my roommate, listening to music and cleaning. We feel a lot better when we’re done and this routine keeps the room from getting unlivable. Hopefully you can use my tips and do the same thing with your roommate!

How to Have the Best Night of the Week

I went over to my friend’s room for a movie night. He has a single, but it’s still considered a dorm room. Because he only has one bed, he managed to clear enough room for a futon. Between the couch, the bed, and the floor, there was enough room to fit about 10 people. We were a little squished, but it was the perfect environment for a scary movie.

We watched The Thing. I’m talking the original, from 1983. (I’m really excited to see the remake, but my friend was appalled that I hadn’t seen the first one.) He invited a bunch of us over, and we all brought our own snacks. I love scary movies, and I can’t believe I hadn’t seen The Thing before our movie night. It was awesome. Definitely a classic, and I recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it.

                It was the middle of midterms week, so it was really nice to just hang out together and forget about schoolwork for a couple of hours. That’s the thing about college; you don’t have to wait for the weekend to get together with your friends. We had our movie event on a Wednesday. It was great.

                My freshman year, we used to have movie nights twice a week. We made a lot of friends that way, and I saw some pretty great movies I never would have picked out for myself. Since then, we’ve been having them less and less. Last night was the first movie night of the year, and I forgot how much fun it was!

                You too can host your own movie party and discover the fun. Here are a couple of tips:

·         Grab a bunch of friends and see what’s on Netflix. The best investment I ever made (aside from Netflix itself) was in a connector cable. It hooks your laptop up to the TV so you can stream videos without having to crowd around a tiny computer screen. Seriously. Get one.

·         If you don’t have Netflix, have everyone bring a movie and pick from the pile. This way, everyone will have a chance to see a movie they haven’t already.

·         Have your gathering be BYOP; bring your own popcorn, that is. Everyone brings their own drinks and snacks. This way, you don’t feel pressure to pick something that everyone likes and you don’t have to run out and buy a ton of food.

·         The more the merrier! Just because your room is small, it doesn’t mean you have to limit your guests. Movies are the best time to have a ridiculous amount of people in your room.

·         Keep an open mind. If the group wants to watch a movie you’re hesitant about, put it on. You never know, you could end up loving it.

So what about you guys? What’s your favorite scary movie? How would you host a movie night?

Fun Activities for You and Your Roommate

I’m sure you’re all getting to know your roommate a little better by now. A few dinners in the cafeteria here and there, some nights spent watching TV or gossiping. Here are some fun ideas to help you guys branch out and get acquainted.

·      Watch your favorite movies. What movies do you both like? Pick a favorite that you both have in common and watch it together. Or find a new one on Netflix that you’ve been dying to see.

·      Color. Okay, I know it sounds lame, but Marissa and I just invested in a couple of coloring books and we have so much fun doing them together. It’s silly and easy and our friends always get excited when we give them pictures!

·      Decorate your room together! If one of you has a car on campus, take a trip to a Christmas Tree Shoppe or Target nearby. You’ll have a blast picking out cute (and inexpensive) decorations for your room. If you’re already coordinated, pick out some fun seasonal decorations.

·      Splurge on dinner off campus. Again, this requires a car (unless you’re lucky enough to live within walking distance of civilization). Go to a place you both like, or branch out and try something new. Sometimes you can feel tense around each other when you’re confined to your teeny room. Moving to a new setting every once in a while can definitely help with that. You’ll be reminded of all the reasons why you love your roomie instead of being annoyed by his/her quirks.

·      Spend a night in together. Lazy Friday night? Play games, order a pizza, and listen to your favorite songs. Invite the people on your floor to come, too! Apples to Apples is a great game to play with new friends; it’s funny and simple (and can easily be turned into a drinking game, for you party animals). 

·      Shop. Girls, you know that there’s no better way to bond than a shopping spree. The weather’s getting cooler; take a trip to the mall and help each other pick out some new clothes. Guys, have a theme party coming up? Grab a couple of friends and head over to Goodwill or Salvation Army. My guy friends love buying tacky suits or Christmas sweaters for the ridiculous parties around campus.

·      Go to a haunted house. Halloween is right around the corner. What better way to bond with your roommate than getting scared silly? Find a local scare. They’re relatively inexpensive and you guys will have a blast together.

·      Make a poster. Marissa and I made a “house rules” poster to hang in our room. All you need is some poster board and a Sharpie. We had a ton of fun thinking of “rules” and everyone laughs when they read our sign. Think of crazy rules and write them down! You’ll get a laugh every time you look at your poster.

These are just a few suggestions; the opportunities are endless. What do you guys do for fun with your roommate? What's the most ridiculous thing you've done together?

Food Necessities

                With all the downtime of college life comes a lot of snacking. If you’re lucky, your school has a ton of eating options and cafeterias. If you’re like me, you go to a school with 2 options. That’s it. And neither of them is too great. So here is a list of some things to stock up on next time you run to the grocery store.

·         Mac & Cheese. Utilize your dorm kitchen (if you have one). Marissa and I make dinner at least once a week. Cafeteria food gets old, fast.

·         Pasta and sauce. Again, when you crave mom’s home cooking, make yourself and easy pasta dinner. It’s quick and it’s cheap. And it’s delicious!

·         Bread. Sounds kind of lame, but it’s easy to make a snack out of. Just add some cheese or peanut butter and you have something to hold you over until your next meal.

·         Tuna. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s healthy, and it’s yummy. I eat tuna for the majority of my lunches. Make sure you have a couple cans around. Quick fix for any meal.

·         Peanut butter. Goes on everything. Crackers, cookies, a spoon….

·         Power Bars/Meal Bars. College life gets a little hectic from time to time and you might not always have the time to sit down and eat. Having some meal bars around will keep your tummy full when you’re on the go.

·         WATER. We have a Brita filter in our fridge. It was the best thing we ever bought. Not only are we saving the environment, but we’re saving our meal swipes. Instead of paying $1.50 per bottle, pick up a filter for about $15. You’ll save a ton.

·         Microwave dinners. We don’t have a freezer, but we keep some “just add water” dinners at hand. There are all different kinds, from pasta to Chinese. When you’re hungry and the café is closed, you’ll be thankful you have some of these easy dinners around.

·         Your favorites! Marissa loves dried fruit. I practically live on rice crackers. The problem? We can’t buy either of those things in my school’s café. Stock up on your favorite snacks, especially the ones that aren’t so easily found.

Whether or not your school has great food, it’s always good to keep some snacks on hand. I can’t tell you how many times I was too lazy to walk to the cafeteria in the rain or how often I’ve slept through dinner. It happens to all of us. And if your school’s food isn’t so great, you can beat the system with this shopping list.

Roommate Survival 101

Everyone has a different experience with their roommate. Some become the best of friends, while the less fortunate struggle to make the through the first semester together. But no matter your circumstance, you guys are bound to get into a disagreement or two somewhere down the road.

                I was lucky enough to get along beautifully with my first roommate; Marissa and I have lived together for 3 years. But even we have had our ups and downs. Here are a few general guidelines to follow:

·      Be respectful. Remember the golden rule from kindergarten? Treat others as you wish to be treated? Yeah, that’s the golden rule of any good roomie relationship. If you don’t want your roommate’s stuff strewn across the room, keep your things neat (or at least confined).

·      Talk it out. If something your roommate does is bothering you, tell them! Maybe they make a ruckus in the morning or keep the TV up too loud when you’re trying to study. Chances are some of your antics are bugging them too, so if you approach the conversation politely and calmly, you two can discuss what is and isn’t working.

·      Privacy is important. There will come a time when one of you would like the room to yourself for a while. Instead of locking the door on your roommate at 2 a.m., make sure it’s okay. Help him/her find a place to stay for the night. Talk it over first. Again, the golden rule. If you treat the situation properly, they’ll remember that the next time they want some private time.

·      Spend time apart. Marissa and I are very close. But it wouldn’t have worked out that way if we didn’t have our time apart. Find other people to hang out with. Do your homework in the library. If you spend the day away from your living buddy, you’ll be much more excited to see them when you get home and feel less suffocated by their presence.

·      Get to know each other! Most roommate relationships fail due to lack of communication and failure to bond with one another. What kind of music does your roommate like? What do you guys have in common? Just talking to your roommate will help you guys get to know each other. Even if you don’t end up being the best of friends, it’s still important to get along with the person you live with.

And lastly, just remember to have fun! No one wants to dread going back to their room at the end of a long day. Sure, you can always get a new roommate. But who knows? You could be missing out on the opportunity for a lifelong friendship.