The cafeteria was nearby, along with a small convenience store run by seniors, plus printing services and stationery. Life was simple — everything was within reach. We even had a laundry room and a dryer.
Everything changed in my third year, when we had to move off-campus.
Third and fourth-year students were expected to live independently since the hostels prioritised first and second-year students.
The Adjustment Phase
The first week of living off-campus was challenging.
My friends and I struggled to adjust to our new environment. We managed to find a student hostel that wasn’t run by the university, which worked for the six of us — but we didn’t even have a stove until the second week.
Planning meals and grocery shopping quickly became overwhelming.
We didn’t know:
- how much to spend
- what groceries to buy
- what meals would actually satisfy everyone
Food storage was another issue. How long could we keep vegetables, chicken, or fish before they spoiled?
Even something as simple as cooking rice became trial and error — figuring out the right rice-to-water ratio took a few failed attempts.
We also didn’t know:
- how much to cook
- whether to keep leftovers
- or if we’d be eating the same meal for days
Meal prep was… honestly, a mess.
What We Eventually Figured Out
Over time, we got the hang of things.
We started planning meals for the week and keeping things simple. Our go-to meals became dishes like curry, rice, and basic vegetable sides.
When we made curry, we’d cook a bigger portion and eat it over one or two days, pairing it with different side dishes so it didn’t feel repetitive.
On simpler days, it was just rice with fried eggs and sambal — quick, cheap, and filling.
The Reality of Student Cooking
Of course, not everything was perfect.
Sometimes housemates went back to their hometowns, and the rest of us would just go out to eat instead.
As broke students, we did our best — but nothing really compares to home-cooked meals.
There were days when:
- the food turned out bland
- we got bored of eating the same things
- or we just didn’t feel like cooking
Small Treats That Made It Better
That’s when we’d treat ourselves.
Trips to the mall and occasional fast food runs became something we really looked forward to.
Whether it was McDonald's, KFC, Subway or Mixue, llaollao, or Tealive — even something small like ice cream or snacks could instantly lift our mood.
Those little breaks made everything feel a bit more manageable.
What I Learned
Meal prep as a student isn’t about doing everything perfectly.
It’s about figuring things out as you go — budgeting, cooking, adjusting, and sometimes just surviving the week.
It wasn’t always smooth, but it taught me how to be more independent and resourceful.
And honestly, that’s something I wouldn’t have learned staying in the hostel.
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