As a new college student navigating the unfamiliar world of academics and social norms and countless other lil bits, my first two years surprisingly challenged me to become innovative in unexpected ways. Wow, as I write this, I can’t believe college is already halfway over. During this time, I have found myself in the most random living situations, and thus, random cooking and eating situations. Looking back on my freshman and sophomore years, I am genuinely impressed with how I’ve learned to foster, satisfy, and explore my culinary creative endeavors and cravings. Trial and error, taking advantage of existing resources, getting creative with random supplies, and working has indeed been a journey.
Here are some fun bits of what I’ve learned and done during this time!
Jan – May 2021
During the pandemic Spring 2021 semester, my sister Angela and I were Zoom nomads, living in different Airbnbs across the United States to add excitement to our mentally draining virtual classes. With a limited budget and oftentimes unreliable forms of transportation, we made do with finding discount groceries, meticulously planning grocery trips and meals, and getting creative with a limited set of cooking supplies that we could stuff into our suitcases along with our clothes. Despite the funny, frankly, challenges we faced, we are utterly grateful for having the opportunity to live in the different cities, allowing us to taste the local cuisines and eateries.
We lived in New Orleans, Houston, and Queens, NY. Here is a full photography diary I put together of 2021!
I’d like to highlight a dessert I made during our stay in New York: I still can’t believe I was able to concoct this while living in the basement of our landlord’s place, with only a small baking sheet, a few pots and pans, and spatulas.
Out of all the places we lived, I enjoyed New York City the most. So much to see and explore, and of course, so much good food! This was one of my favorite meals there:
& ofc other yummy NY goodies! Way too much good food to include!
June – Aug 2021
Living in Brentwood at Frog Hollow Farm. My first time living with 4 male housemates & having (almost) unlimited access to some of the nation’s freshest, sweetest stone fruit. Michelin quality, organic, and regeneratively grown! I made lots of yummy fruit tarts, ice creams, and cocktails, and often brought boxes back to my friends and family. My housemates as well, they had the most abundant and beautiful garden in our backyard. On the weekends, I would come back home and would occasionally cook for my family as well, using many of these fresh ingredients. There’s something so great about being given guardrails of specific set of ingredients. Cooking oh-so seasonally/farm-to-table really did make me feel Californian at heart.
These are some of the favorite things I made!
Sep-Dec 2021
As any incoming college student is, I was both nervous and excited to move on campus for the first time for the Fall 2021 semester. Many of these mixed sentiments were intertwined with my deep-rooted relationship with food and eating. Pomona College mandated the Unlimited Meal Plan for all students. This meal plan is $3,929 per semester. I had pushed to get off this meal plan weeks before the Fall semester commenced due to my passion for cooking, anxiety around eating at the dining halls, and overall unwillingness to pay this much for food in general. However, Pomona administration would not budge, and thus began my forced food tour of Pomona College.
Pomona College has 2 dining halls, 2 cafés, and sometimes food trucks on Friday and Saturdays. It was fun to explore the different meals and menu options, at least from an analytical business and culture perspective(that’s how I justified the expensive meal plan). We had lots of interesting tidbits like Justin’s Almond Butter, tasty egg salad, fried plantains, and poke and pho. I applaud our dining staff for doing the most. Not only do they genuinely listen to student feedback, but they’re also receptive to cater for different dietary restrictions & will make special meals for students with other eating accommodations. They’re honestly some of the best Pomona faculty.
We also have fun events like Farm to Frank, where produce is seasonal and sourced locally! Lots of great options and fresh produce for students to take, as well as cool stations like an acai bowl bar. Frary dining hall also puts on a harry potter / hogwarts themed dinner for Halloween every year.
These cool events, combined with the great hospitality from Dining Staff, and quality menu offerings, made the meal plan worth it, especially since I didn’t really have access to a nice kitchen.
A few weeks after arriving on campus, I started developing anxiety around eating in the loud, crowded spaces of the dining halls. Thus, I started making my own food in my dorm, using my microwave, toaster oven, food processor, and instant pot. It was obviously challenging at first, but to me, it was sort of a game, a “fuck you Pomona College, I will cook and make it work” mentality. I later expanded to using the Oldenborg Dorm kitchen, but only on occasion, since it is often occupied by other students (given that it is the only kitchen in an entire dorm building).
Oh boy, did I really have to make do in my 150 sq. ft dorm room to prepare entire dishes and meals. Looking back, I really don’t know how I pulled it off. Especially given that I had a massive ant problem, was enrolled in 5 credits, and dealt with other personal mishaps (chronic hives, anxiety, relationship drama, general life stress!). In person college life is indeed more chaotic that you could imagine. But the struggle worth the serotonin — cooking is my creative outlet and a space where I can really just be myself (as cheesy as it sounds).
I often went grocery shopping with another student that had a car, and made occasional treks to the Trader Joe’s that is about 1.5 miles away. The dining halls also became my personal grocery store, especially the salad bar and yogurt bar. Fresh veggies, already cut! Perfect for stir-frys, fried rice, and even soup. Chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and frozen fruit! Perfect for my own cookies, truffles, and smoothie bowls. It was a fun time honestly, scavenging around the dining halls and campus looking for ingredients to make my own food.
Here’s some of the stuff I ended up making this year, in my cute lil dorm room Oldenborg 255:
Of course, mostly desserts. I also made a good amount of steamed buns, scallion pancakes, overnights, chia puddings, granolas, and cinnamon rolls, but did not get a good photo of them since they were made for many functional purposes rather than for aesthetics and cooking for art’s sake vibe. I also made a bunch of hojicha things – hojicha lattes, cookies, cake, etc.
This past year was so very hard. Not sure if this is the space to go into my ~ general life struggles ~ and such…
but at least I had cooking and eating to help me get by, and I am so so grateful for that. That, I know for sure!