As I'm sure many college students attending schools away from home can relate, living on your own can take some adjusting at first. By choosing to live without family nearby, you are taking on a lot of responsibilities -cooking being one of them. I am currently a sophomore attending a university about five hundred miles away from home. My entire freshman year, I did not have a meal plan, nor a car to drive to the supermarket, and resorted to on-campus dining options. Although quite delicious, Chick-fil-A and Subway are not the healthiest options to be having daily. Cooking at home is what made me both feel and look healthier.

As with anything, cooking is a learning process. I initially felt clueless; how am I supposed to cook meals for myself if the only thing I've ever really made is cereal and milk? Adulting means making decisions for yourself and taking initiative, so I went online and searched "dinner recipes for beginners." Most recipes include exact measurements, ingredients, cooking times, etc., so I felt more at ease making my first meal after reading over some recipe options. Sometimes, it's acceptable to bend the rules a little and try new things. I oftentimes will see a recipe, and add a different seasoning or hinted ingredient to experiment with new flavors. Eating junk food from chain restaurants freshman year also made me feel worse overall; I was sluggish and unmotivated to do a lot of things. I feel energetic now and have excelled in school more so than before, and it is most definitely a result of changing my eating habits to this healthier lifestyle.

Whether it be chicken and rice or a salmon stir fry meal, cooking can be both beneficial to your health and can teach you a thing or two about productivity and benefits.