From menu options to cooking tips!
Some Context
I was committed to the idea of being self-catered because of my passion for cooking yet, after a year of catered food, I can guarantee you I was wrong. There are loads of unobvious reasons to choose catered accommodation that you probably haven’t thought of. But first, some clarifications are needed. Catered meals (some examples here) are weekday evening meals and breakfasts. This means that you still have a kitchen – I have two amongst the fifteen of us so there’s loads of space. This means I can still explore my love of cooking without the burden of imminent starvation.
Reason 1: Time is so Important
In my first year alone, I was trying to balance a couple of jobs, a bunch of societies along with the gym and a social life. And that’s not even including studying, so anything that saves you time is absolutely crucial. Not having to wash up every day is also a lifesaver because it’s such a dreadfully dull chore. The thing everyone wants more of in their first year is undeniably time, and I can’t overstate the importance of this.
Reason 2: Normal Mealtimes
Derwent Dining was available to me between 8:00 and 10:30 ensuring I actually got up in the morning for breakfast, and 17:00-19:15 for dinner so I didn’t end up eating at midnight (like many of my self-catered uni mates). Importantly, the mealtimes are at an ideal time to work around lectures and societies: most of my lectures finish by 17:00 and most of my societies start at 18:00 or 19:00 so it slots in perfectly!
Reason 3: Nutrition and Variety
The food is – no word of exaggeration – really, really good. Don’t believe me? Check out one of my favourite student Instagram accounts, the aptly named scranbrugh dining! The meals are way more diverse than anything you’d cook (no offence). When was the last time you made a beef rogan josh on Tuesday and then a pork ragu on Thursday? I actually don’t even feel a need to have lunch because the breakfasts are so inordinately large: my classic is scrambled eggs and beans with a bacon and sausage sandwich and a bowl of porridge. Yeah, it’s that generous.
Reason 4: Socialising
Saving the best for last, the social aspect is brilliant! Whether you’ve spent the whole day in your friend’s room or you’ve all been busy, it’s unifying when you all rush down to the cafeteria together to demolish another catered meal. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with flatmates or other college friends alike. Another bizarrely great factor is how many people you befriend in the dining hall. There are strangers you meet in the queue during fresher’s, and there are people you remember from a night out that you can actually befriend instead of nodding at every now and then.
Bonus Reason
The brownie. That glorious brownie. I’ve known people to go for the meal just for the brownie. It’s heavenly stuff.
Leave a Reply