At the end of my freshman year, I recall opening up my phone after class, scrolling through the Benson Memorial Center dining menu and feeling a sense of boredom at the food options. It was at this moment I promised myself that so long as I was able, I would branch out and teach myself how to cook.

In an era where instant gratification envelops most of our lives, the same seems to extend to what we eat. A majority of my roommates, all of whom have an entire kitchen at their disposal, still choose to use a mobile-ordering app like Uber Eats or DoorDash, drive to pick-up fast food or grab something premade from Benson after class.

This trend extends beyond just my fellow students. For instance, every time that I walk through the side entrance of my dorm building, there is without fail a food order dropped off from some delivery driver.

In fact, young people across the country seem to be embracing this—Hello Fresh, a healthy food box delivery service, has brought in over $8 billion dollars in revenue every year since 2020.

After I ate strictly Benson and fast food during my last year of school, I have appreciated the freedom that having my own kitchen gives me. If I look at the menu for the day and don’t see anything that looks appetizing, I am not forced to choose the best of some undesirable options.

Cooking is a welcome break from the constant work of the school day. After getting home, I can turn on some music and choose from the groceries in my fridge depending on how I’m feeling that day.

I also believe that learning how to make food for yourself is an important step in the transition to adulthood. In only a few short years, there isn’t going to be a Benson that you can go to after a long day at work, so it would benefit you to begin learning these skills sooner rather than later.

It’s significantly cheaper to make your own food compared to getting takeout or Benson every night of the week. My weekly grocery usually comes out to under $50, far less than you would be spending at the dining hall.

The kitchen isn’t only good for cooking; I’ve also found myself trying out baking in my free time. Oftentimes I find myself trying out new recipes when I don’t want to do my homework.

Access to the necessary tools shouldn’t be an excuse either. There is a kitchen located in every residence hall, and depending on what dorm you live in, there are communal cooking utensils that you can ask to borrow from the front desk. Obviously, make sure to wash them before and after use.

So, even if it’s just once a week, it’s not a bad idea to try to learn how to cook if you don’t already. It can help you expand your life in more ways than one.