Last year when I was praying to get a townhouse during the housing crisis, there was one main reason why I desired it so much, and that was the kitchen.
Thankfully, it all worked out. I am living in a townhouse with my roommates who I love dearly with a big spacious living room for movie nights, individual bedrooms, personal bathrooms, and finally an amazing kitchen. This has been a huge upgrade from the last two years.
I will say that the dining hall was not awful. I think it could have been much worse. I see other universities’ meals, and they look far from appetizing. The Hickey had a great everyday sandwich station, a selection of breakfast items on the weekends, and my favorite, the baked potato bar. It was convenient for the time-being, but now that I have a kitchen, I am no longer required to have a meal plan!
There is such luxury in being able to make whatever you want for dinner. It was always hard when you went to eat after a long day of classes and nothing looked appealing. Now having a kitchen, I know I will have my dinner favorites on hand for those tough days.
It is also nice to eat whenever I am hungry. Between both freshman and sophomore year, I rarely went to the dining hall alone. My friends and I always waited for one another to eat our meals together. I would always have to put my rumbling stomach on pause.
Breakfast is easy now, too. I would never go to the dining hall for breakfast on a weekday. It was inconvenient and time consuming to get up before my classes in the morning. I could not give up a minute of sleep to make a pit stop before class.
There are so many things that make having a kitchen easier. But the main reason I love it is the way I feel, both physically and mentally.
I can feel the difference in eating good.
For one, I feel better. Last year, I had constant stomach aches that I eventually learned to normalize. This year, I know exactly what is going in my food. My ingredients are clean. I don’t like leaving a restaurant feeling ill because of how much oil is in the food either. I can control how much I use now.
I also feel it mentally. What you put in your body affects your mind more than you realize. My stress levels have not been bad this semester. It is important to note that there are other factors obviously contributing to my stress levels. However, I believe the food I am eating is making a huge impact as well.
Now, I am still a college student and consume junk food. My guilty pleasure, ice cream, can always be found in our freezer. I still go get fast-food and make brownies. I am still snacking on potato chips, and I heat up frozen food in my air fryer.
It is all about balance.
I am extremely grateful to have my own kitchen. It was a new thing to implement in my schedule, and I am honestly still figuring it out. It is time consuming to create grocery lists, go shopping, prep the food, cook, and wash up when you are done. But in the end, it is worth it. I love making meals for myself. Whether I am eating a simple chicken breast with a side of zucchini or having a pizza-making night with friends, I am happier and healthier in my own kitchen.