1. Mug Meals
Did you know you can make all kinds of snacks, even meal items, all in just a mug? It's great for college students since you only get a spoon and a mug dirty and that's all you need to measure and cook everything.
You can find some examples of this here, here, and here!
2. Microwave = Health Foods?
You can actually cook a ton of different vegetables using just a microwave! Also, you can make "baked" apples in just a couple of minutes (now think about THAT with some cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, and maple syrup as a crumble on top!). No oven or stove? Not a problem anymore. Want to eat healthy in a dorm? Turns out microwaves are your friend.
Here's a video that will show you how to make rice in the microwave (+ it's part of more mug recipes!)
This video is generally about steaming vegetables, and don't forget that you can puncture a potato a few times and put it in the microwave for 7-8 minutes and it will be fully cooked!
Also here's a bonus video on how to make apple and banana chips in the microwave!
3. Paper Bag Popcorn
All you need are popcorn seeds and a brown paper bag. You decide your toppings -- sweet, savory, spicy, you name it! You can buy in bulk, this is a super easy quick snack, and you can control what is on the popcorn meaning this snack can be healthy and strange chemical-free. Here's how it's done. Mix it up with some nuts, chocolate chips, (c)raisins, spices, herbs, and make tons of yumminess happen!
4. Subscription Snack Boxes
This is a great way to try new foods, avoid spending time shopping, and ensure that you still have snacks around when you want them! You can find a few examples here and here. I don't know about you, but I like to not have to commit several hours to shopping when I just need a few snacks and by subscribing to a healthy box of snacks you'll also get rid of the urge to buy any good looking snacks that might not be the best for you. You can also find subscription boxes for beauty items if you enjoy trying new cosmetics periodically (just look for a cruelty-free one!).
5. Peace & Quiet
If you live in the dorms, or even in apartments, you probably have walls thinner than pine needles and can hear your neighbors say, "bless you" whenever you sneeze. While totally soundproofing a room is a lot of work and not the most attractive look most of the time, here's a hack to help a little bit: find some cool pieces of canvas art and in the open space in the back, fill it with sound absorbing foam. No one will ever know that there's foam and it looks really nice, and if you hang a few on a problem wall, you might get some relief. You might also want to rearrange things to have heavy furniture like closets on that wall to absorb sound as well!
6. Higher Energy
I know, you probably don't get tons of sleep. Seems like few people do nowadays. However, caffeine is not the answer. Caffeine is false energy and will not only worsen the sleep you do get, but it will also dehydrate you and further exhaust you. Caffeine puts your body into "fight or flight" mode, meaning you're running off of adrenaline all day (this is particularly bad if you are anxiety prone as this effect exacerbates anxiety). So if caffeine is out, where do you get the energy to drag yourself out of bed and go to class? Try fruit juice. Maybe there is something to that stereotypical breakfast that includes a tall glass of OJ. While some fruit juice is pumped with extra refined sugars which aren't too great, if you can find ones without added sugar, they are a great source of fuel! Natural carbohydrates in fruit are the best fuel you can give your body to start the day, not to mention that juice will hydrate you and give you a blast of vitamins. Glucose is the preferred fuel source for the brain, so this should rev your engine (you can read about that here).
7. Get Hydrated
Water is obviously the best way to do this, but I know some people get, understandably, bored with just water. Of course, juice is a good choice, but calorically might not always be an awesome option if it becomes all you drink all day. Instead, fruit and herb infused water and herbal teas can spice up your hydration. You can find some ideas for infused water here.
8. Multi-Use Beauty Products
Are you out of a makeup product? Chances are that you are or that you have been, and found yourself seemingly stranded. While I can't fix every missing product problem, there are a few tricks I can share. If you're out of eyeliner, but you do have an angled brush and mascara, worry not. Similarly, if you have lipstick, you can use it as blush (which is also a great way for those two to match if that's your thing). You can also use red beets to stain lips and cheeks with a red tint. You can also use charcoal to whiten your teeth and if you have extra beer laying around, you can use it on your hair.
9. Natural Remedies
Did you know that you might not need anything fancy to cure acne? In fact, you might only need a potato or some oatmeal - some of the cheapest things you can buy, as well as some of the most delicious. You can also use avocados in several ways for beauty purposes including treating sunburns! Don't forget cucumbers, bananas, and oranges. So stalk up on healthy foods, not just to eat, but also to use as natural beauty enhancers instead of products full of chemicals, artificial colors, and fragrances that have likely been tested on animals. (Not to mention how good you'll smell.)
10. Get Crafty
If you're tired of having loose papers everywhere, all you need is a little time to get crafty. I know that dealing with a bunch of separate folders when trying to pack up quickly and run to your next class is a real hassle, and often notebooks do not come with pockets to hold loose papers. Instead of cramming them in your bag every day and either getting them back later completely crumpled or losing them altogether, why not use some staples, tape, and notecards to make a pocket inside that notebook? Or you could use duct tape if that's more your style. Maybe you make an entire folder instead of buying one to save some money? Use cardboard boxes you had sent to you in the mail to make wall art with some paint and maybe some stencils (imagine how fun making splatter-painted art with your friends would be, or even working together to make a cool mural). Snip magazines to make collages on your walls and brighten up your, admittedly, dreary, prison-like dorm room. Be resourceful, get organized, and make your space one that you love.
