1. Cooking reduces stress.
Cooking can calm your nerves after a long day and get your mind off whatever is bothering you. Are you mad at your boyfriend because he did something dumb? Did you make a bad grade on that quiz you thought you aced? Then grab a knife, grab an onion and get choppin’. The repetitive motion can be relaxing and can easily take your mind off it.
2. Cooking is a great way to bond.
Grab your boyfriend or best friend, and get to cookin’. When cooking you can always make a bunch of different options. Have someone make the beans while you make the chicken. If you are making a cake have someone make the batter while you are making the icing. This can be a great way to get closer to your friends or even can be a bonding experience with your boyfriend.
3. College students usually have limited funds.
Yes, that Taco Bell box was only $5, that’s great, but it adds up. Spending a big amount on groceries for a month of food will be a better cost than eating out for every meal of the day. Eating out can be a fast option, but if you’re like me then you never feel that great after eating it. Start trying to meal prep. Make enough food for the whole week, and you have lunch for every day.
4. Cooking is the healthier option.
I do bake cookies as much as I bake chicken, but besides that, cooking is healthier. You can buy a soft taco from Taco Bell that has 160-180 calories, or make one yourself that only has 156 calories. That might not be a big difference, but it’s a small step further from the freshman 15.
5. You can actually try those cooking videos.
You know the ones I’m talking about; they’re every other video on your newsfeed. You could actually say, “I successfully cooked something from one of those videos.” It’s a great feeling, and sometimes it will make you feel like you could face Gordon Ramsay himself.
6. You can impress people when you have minimal skills.
Listen, when I am in a class and have to stand up in front of everyone and say my name and a hobby, I go blank. I feel like I’m the most boring person alive. What will I say? I never thought of cooking as a “cool” thing to know; I thought it was normal. So many people don’t know how to cook that you will actually get some surprised looks when you start telling people.
7. You can feel proud of yourself.
When you make your first successful meal, you will feel so proud of yourself. Yes, there will be some failures, but even the best chefs have bad days. You can show off your skills by cooking for other people, and they will appreciate it no matter what. Your food might not taste as good as grandma’s yet, but like most things, “practice makes perfect.”
Photos by Carissa Gan on Unsplash