By Louis Sherman
1st year BU student, BSc (Hons) Applied Geography
Being able to cook for yourself, and overall fend for yourself, will become key to your uni life. And although it sounds terrifying, it is actually simple and easy!
Personally, I never got too focussed on this part of uni life before I arrived. Before actually going to uni I never really thought about the cooking or cleaning side to uni life.
But this didn’t mean I was shocked or had my life turned upside down by it. Simply put, these kinds of things came along just naturally. That is the positive of living with other people, whether you live in a flat in halls or in a private house or unilet. In the majority of flats, most students come to an agreement where cleaning, and sometimes even cooking is shared, making the whole experience easier, and more fun really.
However, with this does come the warning that not all flats will be like this. There are always some flats that just aren’t full of ‘cleaners’ and ‘chefs’, which can lead to some disagreements. However, this is a minority, and if you get along with your flatmates it is more than likely you will work out who wants to do what job.
Cooking at uni can either be a bore, or can actually become a way of showing off the cooking skills you may never knew you had. For instance, before this year I had never really properly cooked, but after buying two good student cook books and budgeting well, I have ended up eating really well the majority of the year. ‘Nosh for Students’ is a particularly good cookbook which would be great for any student. The key thing here is a food list, and making sure you buy those all important vegetables and not just cheap chocolate (but maybe a little bit!).
Fending for yourself can also mean looking after yourself when you are ill. This may sound stupid, but if you are not used to looking after yourself when you are sick it can actually be really horrid. At BU, there are dedicated doctors there to help you at a simple booking of an appointment. My knowledge of this facility has been positive, with my flatmate this year saying that the service and doctors themselves were brilliant. Just remember, always stay hydrated and let your flatmates know if you are ill, most flatmates will always be willing to help you out!
All in all, fending for yourself shouldn’t be a big worry. With time you will just learn new skills and before you know it you may well be the next Jamie Oliver!
