New Hobbies

Growing up, I always had the luxury of eating home-cooked meals almost every day of the week. My mom is a great cook, and I rarely had any complaints about her food. That said, the transition to college has been very different from being at home. Living in the freshman dorms at Ohio Northern University meant being on a meal plan at Mac. I was never a big fan of it and often felt like I was missing out on the nutrients I would normally get from the healthy, balanced meals my mom made.

To solve this problem, I started cooking for myself. Over the past two years, I have been fortunate to live in an on-campus apartment. The apartments at Ohio Northern are fully equipped with a refrigerator, sink, dishwasher, oven and stovetop, which makes cooking much more convenient.

Thankfully, I already had some experience in the kitchen. I took two culinary classes in high school, where I learned a lot and really enjoyed the process of cooking. However, I did not get many opportunities to cook at home back then because I was busy with extracurricular activities and traveling to soccer practices. Now, four years later, I am finally putting those skills to use.

Being able to prepare home-cooked meals for myself each week has had a noticeable impact on my health. I feel more energized and refreshed each morning compared with the past few years. Having the freedom to choose my own meals and decide what types of protein and vegetables I want to include has been especially rewarding. Cooking has also become something I look forward to each day, whether I am trying something new or making a favorite meal.

Even though I might make my cooking sound impressive, my roommate would probably agree that I am actually a pretty good cook. Looking ahead, I am excited to continue improving my skills this summer when I am back home. I am also looking forward to having more kitchen space and storage to experiment with new recipes.