I know around this time of year a lot of people are preparing to leave home for the first time for university/college (at least in the Northern hemisphere) and also that FR has a pretty varied age range.
So, those of us who have lived away from parents for a while, what's one piece of advice you would give your newly-independent self if you could?
And anyone who's moving out in the next few months, feel free to ask any questions if you want to :)
I left home 4 years ago (and moved country while I was at it) and I'd tell myself to make sure I budget because spending money on things that aren't necessary is really tempting those first few months!
I know around this time of year a lot of people are preparing to leave home for the first time for university/college (at least in the Northern hemisphere) and also that FR has a pretty varied age range.
So, those of us who have lived away from parents for a while, what's one piece of advice you would give your newly-independent self if you could?
And anyone who's moving out in the next few months, feel free to ask any questions if you want to :)
I left home 4 years ago (and moved country while I was at it) and I'd tell myself to make sure I budget because spending money on things that aren't necessary is really tempting those first few months!
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admcattiebrie
Your piece of advice is definitely true because I did the same thing, haha. When I got my first paycheck from my job, I went hog wild.
I've actually been away from home for about two years now, going on three, but this is my first year actually living in my own place. My advice would be if you're going to live in a dorm, pack LIGHTLY! I made the mistake of wanting to take EVERYTHING my first year, and I regretted it when it was time to move out, lol.
If you're going to be in an apartment, get a few people to help move. I had about three other people helping me and it literally only took like 2 hours to get all my stuff in and unpacked? And don't touch the thermostat!! 74-75 degrees is good for summer and I think for winter it's like 69 or 70? A heating pad and a fan are great investments.
@
admcattiebrie
Your piece of advice is definitely true because I did the same thing, haha. When I got my first paycheck from my job, I went hog wild.
I've actually been away from home for about two years now, going on three, but this is my first year actually living in my own place. My advice would be if you're going to live in a dorm, pack LIGHTLY! I made the mistake of wanting to take EVERYTHING my first year, and I regretted it when it was time to move out, lol.
If you're going to be in an apartment, get a few people to help move. I had about three other people helping me and it literally only took like 2 hours to get all my stuff in and unpacked? And don't touch the thermostat!! 74-75 degrees is good for summer and I think for winter it's like 69 or 70? A heating pad and a fan are great investments.
@
admcattiebrie
wonderful idea for a helpful thread, i think its just what i need!
my parents will be leaving for vacation for half a month so i'll have to provide for myself between studying for university and finding time to relax/draw. i guess my main concern would be cooking something real fast but not junk. budget isnt an issue (i hope) since my parents will drown me in dosh just to make sure ill be fine.
tldr; whats some speedy foods to make for one?
@
admcattiebrie
wonderful idea for a helpful thread, i think its just what i need!
my parents will be leaving for vacation for half a month so i'll have to provide for myself between studying for university and finding time to relax/draw. i guess my main concern would be cooking something real fast but not junk. budget isnt an issue (i hope) since my parents will drown me in dosh just to make sure ill be fine.
tldr; whats some speedy foods to make for one?
I second the pack lightly advice! In my first round of college I packed far too much stuff and I didn't have a lot of space left.
My advice for those going off to school would be to meet people! It can be really intimidating, and trust me, meeting new people can be anxiety inducing. But being away from home can get lonely, and having people that you can talk to or hang out with makes a big difference. Try talking to someone in one of your classes, or maybe join a club of something that you're interested in! It might not be easy, but it's worth it in the long run I found.
I second the pack lightly advice! In my first round of college I packed far too much stuff and I didn't have a lot of space left.
My advice for those going off to school would be to meet people! It can be really intimidating, and trust me, meeting new people can be anxiety inducing. But being away from home can get lonely, and having people that you can talk to or hang out with makes a big difference. Try talking to someone in one of your classes, or maybe join a club of something that you're interested in! It might not be easy, but it's worth it in the long run I found.
@
somersault
It's not really a fast food to make, but it's one you can leave on while you leave and do errands or something, so when you come back, you can eat. Basically, anything in a crockpot. You can make chicken, pot roast, chili, etc. And it makes a TON of food!
Something actually quick could potentially be stir fry? If you get frozen vegetables and some chicken or something, it doesn't take too long in the skillet.
@
somersault
It's not really a fast food to make, but it's one you can leave on while you leave and do errands or something, so when you come back, you can eat. Basically, anything in a crockpot. You can make chicken, pot roast, chili, etc. And it makes a TON of food!
Something actually quick could potentially be stir fry? If you get frozen vegetables and some chicken or something, it doesn't take too long in the skillet.
@
Ammut
ooh ive never done a crockpot before, i think we have one of those contraptions around so i can hop right on it!
thank you for the help C:
@
Ammut
ooh ive never done a crockpot before, i think we have one of those contraptions around so i can hop right on it!
thank you for the help C:
I'd say my electric tea kettle was one of the best purchases I made back during my university days. It made cooking pasta, eggs, and just hot drinks really simple. Just don't try to boil milk in it for hot chocolate, that was a huge mistake on my part. xD
Also, I third the packing light advice! I made the biggest mistake and thought buying some furniture for the common room was a grand idea... until it was time to move out. It was especially harder for me because I was an out of state kid, so everything had to be packed into a storage rental instead of just taking it home, which means more money spent. *sigh*
@
somersault
I'd say a simple salad can go a long way if you are a veggie lover, I always preferred making mine with spinach, but I always liked ramen back in those days. The ramen itself is always fast to cook and it's easy to put veggies and meat in there to make it a complete meal. I'd also say don't put all of the spice packet in, since that's where all that additional sodium is. Tastes good, but not exactly the best for you.
And if you don't like the taste of ramen noodles, next in line would be a simple pasta with favorite sauce plus some basil or other veggies you prefer.
I'd say my electric tea kettle was one of the best purchases I made back during my university days. It made cooking pasta, eggs, and just hot drinks really simple. Just don't try to boil milk in it for hot chocolate, that was a huge mistake on my part. xD
Also, I third the packing light advice! I made the biggest mistake and thought buying some furniture for the common room was a grand idea... until it was time to move out. It was especially harder for me because I was an out of state kid, so everything had to be packed into a storage rental instead of just taking it home, which means more money spent. *sigh*
@
somersault
I'd say a simple salad can go a long way if you are a veggie lover, I always preferred making mine with spinach, but I always liked ramen back in those days. The ramen itself is always fast to cook and it's easy to put veggies and meat in there to make it a complete meal. I'd also say don't put all of the spice packet in, since that's where all that additional sodium is. Tastes good, but not exactly the best for you.
And if you don't like the taste of ramen noodles, next in line would be a simple pasta with favorite sauce plus some basil or other veggies you prefer.
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somersault yeah stir frys with rice or noodles are fairly fast and nice, also wraps with grilled veggies and chicken, and homemade pitta pizzas are fun and can be healthy (basically, pizza style toppings on an opened pitta bread).
Cooking seems like a big thing but it's fairly easy compared to say, baking, because if you get ingredients or timings wrong it doesn't often matter.
If you cook chicken, always stick a fork or skewer in it and make sure the juices are clear before taking it out, otherwise it's undercooked. :)
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somersault yeah stir frys with rice or noodles are fairly fast and nice, also wraps with grilled veggies and chicken, and homemade pitta pizzas are fun and can be healthy (basically, pizza style toppings on an opened pitta bread).
Cooking seems like a big thing but it's fairly easy compared to say, baking, because if you get ingredients or timings wrong it doesn't often matter.
If you cook chicken, always stick a fork or skewer in it and make sure the juices are clear before taking it out, otherwise it's undercooked. :)
@
Yuukiji
ah i always wondered where all that sodium in instant ramen comes from, good observation i will abuse that to my liking. how didya make your spinach salad? i love spinach but am somehow hopeless at salads ;;
for curiousity, what the heck happened when you boiled milk in the kettle? did it bubble up everywhere uncontrollably? cause gosh thatd be horrifying!!
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admcattiebrie
pita pizza, holy moly thats genius i could make so much even in a budget!! also grilled veggies and chicken in a wrap actually sounds really nice!
and thats a real dang useful tip about checking for undercooked chicken, i'll write it down!! C:
@
Yuukiji
ah i always wondered where all that sodium in instant ramen comes from, good observation i will abuse that to my liking. how didya make your spinach salad? i love spinach but am somehow hopeless at salads ;;
for curiousity, what the heck happened when you boiled milk in the kettle? did it bubble up everywhere uncontrollably? cause gosh thatd be horrifying!!
@
admcattiebrie
pita pizza, holy moly thats genius i could make so much even in a budget!! also grilled veggies and chicken in a wrap actually sounds really nice!
and thats a real dang useful tip about checking for undercooked chicken, i'll write it down!! C:
@
somersault
Ah, usually for spinach salad it kind of depends what kind of dressing I use. If I'm not using any, I usually like to put lots protein in it such as bacon, slice up hard boiled eggs, or cheese (I usually use goat cheese.)
If I'm going for a sweeter salad, then either cranberries or strawberries are a nice go to fruit and if there's some nice pears I'll totally go for that too! Also walnuts are great for salad if you want a little more crunch, and I honestly think thats a healthy alternative to croûtons.
For me though, I love onions and tomatoes! So I always put those in. I'd use red onions over white or yellow though unless you really love raw onions. Some people do, some people don't.
You could cook them as well before throwing them in if you prefer cooked ones.
And yeah! The boiled milk did froth and overflow! Of course I wasn't watching it either and it went all over the carpet in my dorm room. Luckily there was rental vacuums at said dorm so I didn't have to pay for a ruined carpet at the end of the semester.
I'm sure if I put less milk it might not have happened, but it also kind of left a white residue on the heating element on the inside of the kettle... so yeah I wouldn't recommend it. xD
@
somersault
Ah, usually for spinach salad it kind of depends what kind of dressing I use. If I'm not using any, I usually like to put lots protein in it such as bacon, slice up hard boiled eggs, or cheese (I usually use goat cheese.)
If I'm going for a sweeter salad, then either cranberries or strawberries are a nice go to fruit and if there's some nice pears I'll totally go for that too! Also walnuts are great for salad if you want a little more crunch, and I honestly think thats a healthy alternative to croûtons.
For me though, I love onions and tomatoes! So I always put those in. I'd use red onions over white or yellow though unless you really love raw onions. Some people do, some people don't.
You could cook them as well before throwing them in if you prefer cooked ones.
And yeah! The boiled milk did froth and overflow! Of course I wasn't watching it either and it went all over the carpet in my dorm room. Luckily there was rental vacuums at said dorm so I didn't have to pay for a ruined carpet at the end of the semester.
I'm sure if I put less milk it might not have happened, but it also kind of left a white residue on the heating element on the inside of the kettle... so yeah I wouldn't recommend it. xD
