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Problems that comes with cooking at uni?

Reply 20

claireestelle

22

Original post by soup-dragon

Yep the bin got so horrible at times!

i once remember having to take 3 bags down as they refused to help.

Reply 21

BlueSheep32

11

Original post by fatpandaAC

Yeah that I can see being a huge factor. I like having space to cook and also cooking in a cleanish environment. Did you have a solution to the cleaning? like a rota?

Not really, we were all close friends so we'd sort of have a go at each other about it (it was never me that made the mess as I always clean up after myself) until either they'd get fed up of it and wash up, or one of us would cave in and do all of it. I think a cleaning rota can work if you divide the work up fairly though.

Reply 22

username2269391

18

Original post by fatpandaAC

I would like to know what problems you encounter when you are cooking at Uni. Or problems that prevent you from cooking.

Well in my 3 years, every house and hall I lived in had stupid hot-plate hobs rather than flame burning ones.... It makes you have to wait to pre-heat the flipping hob, also it's easy to accidentally leave it on because unlike a flame, it makes no sound and you can't see it when it's hot so if your coming from a flame-cooker home your gonna have a terrible time with the pan

Reply 23

Glyndwr University

13

When I was a student, we had problems with people trying to cook rice in kettles, setting toast on fire (yes, actual flames), microwaving whole and still packaged chickens.... all part of the learning curve! For me one of the biggest challenge was creating meals from a completely random assortment of foodstuffs.....

Dave (Enquiries, Glyndwr University)

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 24

Elivercury

16

Depends how you're doing things. If you're cooking completely separately I recommend keeping pots, pans and cupboard food in your room/a locked cupboard. It sounds a bit anal, but no one will mind and it stops someone pinching it while drunk (which will happen). It just prevents fights/arguments and you can always loan it from your room if they're desperate/you're feeling kind.

In my second year me and a few friends had a house and decided to opt for a cooking rota. Generally this worked well and I would recommend it, but three of us were alright cooks, the other was a godawful cook and it got to the stage where I would end up making myself something more edible. We later cut him out and had him do his own shopping/cooking and it worked fine. So yeah, give it a go, but make sure that everyone is going to cook things people like rather than terrible curries that no one enjoys.

Beyond that just try not to set anyone/anything on fire.

Reply 25

Puddles the Monkey

21

Original post by Glyndŵr University

... microwaving whole and still packaged chickens....

@The_JoKeR was this you? :teehee:

Reply 26

EllainKahlo

17

My main one was simply a lack of space. I couldn't cook when I wanted to. I might have an extremely hard week of studying, relying on ready-made meals only to want to celebrate by cooking something with my own hands and then find that my own kitchen is out of order because it's being used either by a cleaner, for hours or my flatmates have decided to invite all of their friends over without being considerate of the fact our kitchen was built for 8, and there are more than 20 people squashed into one room.

There are a couple of days where I couldn't get into my kitchen at all.

It was a nightmare. Because it also affected my ability to eat healthy balanced meals since I cannot make my own food, and know exactly what is in it, like I'm used to. I'm incredibly glad I chose to downsize for my second year. Hopefully living with only 3 other people will make life easier.

Reply 27

rowplatts999

1

As a person who shall be going to uni in a year, and cannot cook meals beyond pasta, is there anything I should learn about specifically? Or any general tips beyond hiding your stuff?

Reply 28

leahdw

9

Original post by rowplatts999

As a person who shall be going to uni in a year, and cannot cook meals beyond pasta, is there anything I should learn about specifically? Or any general tips beyond hiding your stuff?

Conchigliette is an amazing pasta because it cooks so quickly and I am very impatient... It cooks in about 5-7 minutes. At the moment I'm using a different pasta because I ran out of conchigliette and the campus shop didn't have any. It only takes about 10 minutes to cook but it feels like an age.....

I personally have been lucky enough never to have had a problem with people stealing my stuff. I mean, there was one time when half the washing up liquid mysteriously disappeared, and since I tend to buy all the washing up liquid for my kitchen, I was mildly irritated, but I figured it probably went to the other kitchen, and let it go. It's not like it's that expensive.

General tips-wise, I would say:
-Figure out a few easy meals, using a variety of carbs (pasta is great, but know how to cook rice etc. because it gets a bit boring after a while...)
-Make sure you remember to bring enough food for the first few days. I forgot something, and had to awkwardly ask my new housemate for some.
-Make sure when getting kitchen stuff that you get fairly good-quality, but also fairly cheap, things. Things that will last you years with normal wear-and-tear, but that don't really matter if they get broken/taken.

Reply 29

SophieSmall

21

Space has always been an issue, particularly freezer space.

Also people never washing up after themselves so it's either never have a clean kitchen/ space to cook or wash everyone else's ****.
Some people in my opinion really do not have any business living with other people when they can't even wash a plate or boil pasta. I weep for these people, it's truly pathetic.

Reply 30

rowplatts999

1

Mental note to bring as much conchigliette as possible when I leave

Reply 31

The_JoKeR

17

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

@The_JoKeR was this you? :teehee:

Haha although I'd like to take credit, no :frown:

Reply 32

UWS

21

Burning down your house

Reply 33

fefssdf

20

This thread is why I went for catered halls at my firm and insurance as 1) can't be bothered cooking 2) don't want people stealing my stuff 3) time consuming 4) have to wash up 5) have to keep buying food 6) I doubt I'd save much money TBH

Reply 34

The Empire Odyssey

21

Original post by JavaScriptMaster

Well in my 3 years, every house and hall I lived in had stupid hot-plate hobs rather than flame burning ones.... It makes you have to wait to pre-heat the flipping hob, also it's easy to accidentally leave it on because unlike a flame, it makes no sound and you can't see it when it's hot so if your coming from a flame-cooker home your gonna have a terrible time with the pan

If that's you in your pic, you're very good-looking. That's all.

Reply 35

username1342947

15

I think i was one of the fortunate ones as i never had issues bar messy kitchen tops. If people needed to borrow pans etc, they would wash and return them back to the owner. Fridge and freezer space was not an issue too due to having two which 3 people would use one of. with one of each having a spare space just in case over flow was needed. No one ever stole food either. It just coomes down to wwho your flat mates end up being. We all got along so it was never an issue at the end of the day. if things got out of hand, we all got together and did a massive clean of the kitchen. Cleaners came in every day apart from the weekend to take the rubbish away so there were never any fights over who took the rubbish out last.

Reply 36

jonathanemptage

21

Original post by fatpandaAC

I would like to know what problems you encounter when you are cooking at Uni. Or problems that prevent you from cooking.

people steel anything slightly fancy you have ( got a lobster nicked ).

Reply 37

username1539513

21

When your nutty extrovert flatmate has like 30 people around for pre-drinks and you can't use the kitchen because you hate meeting new people and have social anxiety

Reply 38

Profesh

20

Running out of space to hide the bodies of those who fail to return your utensils within the allotted period. Although on reflection, that one probably cancels itself out.