Moving onto campus this semester was extra stressful for me. My college has a Los Angeles campus, and I committed to coming out here for the fall. I had never been to the West Coast before, so I knew I was in for a culture shock. On top of that, I was living with a group of people I barely knew and was scared about being able to connect with them. However, the number one thing that eased all of my anxieties was bringing a classic familial tradition to the suite — a Labor Day barbeque! Each of us in the suite brought a dish, cooking together through the afternoon. In a semester where my meal plan mainly consists of gift cards to grocery stores, this was a great way to ease some of my fears about cooking for myself consistently.
A picture one of my suitemates took of us all enjoying the cookout!
Ultimately, making food is so personal from person to person. It can be very daunting to figure out just what type of cooking you enjoy — or if you even like cooking! For some people, that’s just really not their thing. That’s not necessarily an issue, but you should still be able to find ways to create a good relationship with food. With the rise of social media and a bigger focus than ever on bodies and self-image, it can be easy for food to become the enemy. So finding unique ways to engage with recipes and restaurants is important, especially for college students! You want to figure out sustainable solutions now because feeding yourself is a problem that is never going to go away.
First, identify what specific types of food you are looking for. Are there cultural dishes you enjoy? Do you need to be eating healthy? What food feels good for your body? These are the first questions you have to ask yourself. Don’t be afraid to think critically about the food you’re eating. As I mentioned in my previous chapters, identify what you find valuable in your life.
Once you know what you like, figure out what type of food is the most realistic to make with your schedule. If you have back-to-back classes most days, maybe prioritize meal-prepping things that can be easily grabbed during your breaks. If you work from home for long hours, find some fun recipes you can make during your lunch break to shake up the monotony.
One of my favorite things to do to make food exciting has been to find food influencers that I enjoy. Particularly on TikTok and YouTube, where you can watch people cook — even cook along with them — has sparked ideas of my own. I’ve listed some of my favorites below.
- @porkypigeats on TikTok: This is a really cute account that remakes many recipes from Stardew Valley, one of my favorite video games. Not only are these recipes pretty easy overall, but if you ever find yourself getting hungry while playing the game, this is the perfect way to have a 4D experience!
- @halfbakedharvest on TikTok: This is some of the most aesthetically pleasing food that has ever crossed my For You Page, so these are at least beautiful videos to watch. However, this creator also makes a ton of bowls, which tend to be one of my personal favorite types of meals.
- @kaelyngutierrez on TikTok: This is a more lighthearted account, but I love cooking along with Kaelyn! While she doesn’t usually give distinct recipes, her passion for cooking and expertise around all kinds of food makes me feel more comfortable too. Particularly her ease handling meat has made me a lot more confident in my own meat-handling abilities.
Cookbooks can also be a really fun way to find recipes, especially because of the sheer amount out there. I know a lot of younger people can think of cookbooks as boring, associating them with the dusty ones hidden in the back of your parent’s’ kitchen. But there’s so many cookbooks out there, particularly ones related to different media. Pick your favorite mainstream movie or TV show, and chances are, there’s a cookbook to go along with it. Do you enjoy watching Emily’s adventures through Paris? Check out Emily in Paris: The Official Cookbook by Kim Laidlaw. More of a fantasy person? There’s a handful of Game of Thrones and Harry Potter cookbooks out there. Just associating your food with your favorite piece of media can make it so much more enjoyable.
All this to say, there are plenty of ways to make food exciting for yourself. Even if you’re not that good of a chef, eating doesn’t have to be a chore. Figuring out how to make food creative can add so much value to your life in so many unexpected ways.
On a lazier day, you can get some great food from The Maharaja for 20% off! Just use this coupon and bring your student ID for any takeout order.
By Izzy Astuto
Izzy Astuto (he/they) is a writer currently majoring in Creative Writing at Emerson College, with a specific interest in screenwriting. His work has previously been published by Hearth and Coffin, Sage Cigarettes, and The Gorko Gazette, amongst others. He is currently a reader for journals such as PRISM international and Alien Magazine. You can find more of their work on their website, at https://izzyastuto.weebly.com/. Their Instagram is izzyastuto2.0 and Twitter is adivine_tragedy.
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