Something I have recently come to realize is that if I had not chosen to attend Stevens, it is very unlikely I’d be in the situation I am now—living in an apartment not owned by the school and not being on a meal plan. As a second-year student, this is definitely an independence that I enjoy after being on campus last year, but it can also be overwhelming at times.
The most notable difference I find in the transition from dorm to apartment living is cooking for myself. I have always enjoyed cooking and baking, so I have not found the task of feeding myself particularly difficult, but I still struggle to maintain a cooking schedule at times. For me, I am glad to have cut my ties with the dining hall because I have a lot of new food restrictions (as of this summer) that make it nearly impossible to eat anything that I have not prepared myself. Additionally, I live about a 15 minute walk from campus, so going back and forth to eat my meals at the dining hall would be anything but ideal.
So how exactly do I balance cooking, 17 credits, multiple clubs and organizations, living far from campus, AND remembering to eat?
That’s a very good question and I honestly ask myself that very often. Here are my general tips for apartment living (mainly revolved around cooking with a dash of time management strategies).
1. Make a list of all of the (healthy) foods that you like to eat
I frequently get food fatigue, so having a list of foods I know I like and can rotate through helps me not get tired of eating the same foods. Foods on my list include ground turkey tacos, shredded chicken tacos, strawberry protein smoothie bowls, chickpea pasta with meat sauce, scrambled eggs, strawberry protein oatmeal, a gluten-free bagel with Nutella and peanut butter, and some fruits and vegetables for snacking. By rotating through these different possible meals, I get less tired of what I’m eating, and I don’t have to spend too much time going through choices before deciding what to eat.
2. Make a concise yet comprehensive shopping list
It is easy to over-buy food for the week and end up having to throw out half of what you buy. It is equally as easy to under-buy and end up needing to run back to the store before the end of the week. Neither option is that great considering as a college student, I focus on both saving money and conserving my time, so one grocery trip a week with no excess waste is what I aim for.
3. If you’re not a chef, you can learn!
One of my favorite resources for recipes and cooking guides is the BuzzFeed Tasty App! I’m sure we’ve all seen a BuzzFeed Tasty tutorial video on our Facebook or Instagram feeds at one point or another, and the app is such a helpful compilation of all of these recipes along with blog posts and many more features. I personally consider this app a necessity, and it is so helpful for finding meals specific to dietary needs, time constraints, and cooking ahead for the whole week.
4. Keep trying until you find something that works for you!
There are so many different ways to keep yourself fed throughout the week. You can buy frozen meals, microwavable mac and cheese cups, or you can prep your own frozen meals. I usually buy a bunch of frozen veggies to keep in the freezer, set aside a day of the week to cook a bunch of different foods, and freeze them for the week ahead.
A screenshot of the BuzzFeed Tasty App
Lifestyle HACKs is an Opinion column written and created by Zoe Hack ‘24 to discuss studying guides and techniques, healthy cooking and eating, and other lifestyle tips during college life.
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