Fall 2015 marks the start of my junior year at Drake University. Being a junior, one of the exciting perks is that I no longer have to live on Drake’s campus. Living off campus also means I no longer have a meal plan or am able to eat at Hubbell, our dinning hall. No more small dorm rooms and no more dining hall food. I have some freedom back, right?

Wait a minute… I don’t have meal plan so now I have to cook for myself. But I am an awful cook. All I know how to do is boil water and pour cereal. Oh, but I am an expert when it comes to the microwave. Sadly though, warm water and the microwave aren’t going to cut it.

I moved into my first apartment this year and I thought life would be smooth sailing. I quickly learned one of my biggest hurdles was buying groceries and cooking for myself (I use cooking loosely). Two tasks I used to think were easy and simple, but now I’m having second thoughts about that. Let me tell you about my experiences and give you a few pointers I have learned.

The first part is to acknowledge that when you move in you will not have any food. None. Which means you must go to the grocery store. To start, I made a list of foods I thought I would eat or need to make a meal with. This list consisted of the basics such as milk, bread, eggs, and cheese, also of proteins, fruits, and vegetables. I try to maintain a healthy diet so I stayed away from junk food, candy, frozen dinners, and more. My roommates and I decided there would be a few items that we would share as a whole such as butter, sugar, spices, and others so I didn’t have to worry about buying that on my first trip (I would recommend discussing this with your roommates, too, to save money and to not have too much of one item).

When it came time to check out I realized I was spending way too much money on groceries. I justified it by telling myself that this was my first solo trip to the grocery store and that I am still learning.

My two tips for the grocery store are these: First, buy food that you know you will eat. If you think you might eat it, then it is a waste. I bought ingredients for a salad and I have not had a salad. I haven’t opened the spinach or lettuce yet so they are still good, for now. That is also why a list is good. I actually went off my list and bought the ingredients for the salad. By going off my list, again, I spent too much money. My second tip is to stay calm if you do go over budget. Don’t beat yourself up about it. You will eventually eat the food you bought and hopefully you will be smarter the next time you fit the store.

When it came time to start cooking I thought it would be a piece of cake. I had watched my parents cook thousands of times growing up so I just assumed that by watching them I knew what to do as well. Oh boy was I wrong!

The first meal I made (that wasn’t a sandwich or in the microwave) was scrambled eggs, one of my favorites. I put the pan on the stove, and being over confident, cracked the eggs right into the pan before whisking them. I knew this was an important step and felt so dumb, but my roommate suggested I whisk the eggs in the pan. She told me when you cook you might not start the right way but wait to see if it still comes out. And it did! My eggs were fine and I enjoyed my first meal in my apartment.

When it comes down to it, the worst part about cooking for yourself is the mess you make. For example, I did not realize how many dishes it took to make scrambled eggs. You need a bowl to put the eggs in, a whisk, the pan to cook the eggs in, a fork, and a plate. That is simply for eggs. I have to use about three or four different dishes in order to make my dinner. Thankfully we have a dishwasher, but between four women it can get full very fast. My advice is to stay on top of your dishes. When you get done eating, do the dishes! It will save time and space in your sink or on your counter top. Trust me on this one!

Throughout the year, I hope to become a better cook. So far it hasn’t gone smoothly but I know with the help from my mom and roommates I will be able to eat more than just eggs.