By Hannah Graham
Copy Editor
photo | Hannah Graham
Health science major, Deenah Banner, a freshman, cooking in her dorm room.
One of the few universal truths of life is that one must eat to live. Consequently, humans, and resident students especially, spend a great deal of money and time on the creation and consumption of food.
Cooking in the dormitories on campus comes with a fittingly messy list of sorrows and joys, though.
“You don’t have to depend on anyone else; you can make what you want,” health science major Deenah Banner, a freshman, said.
There are three main dormitories which offer private kitchens on campus, including Schwartz Hall, West Campus Residence Complex and North Campus Residence Complex. According to an example room plan on the Schwartz Hall page, the kitchens have an oven, microwave and sink.
Residents in every building can access communal kitchens, but that comes with its own problems.
“If I think back to when I worked in Wilk, I remember there was a struggle because we had to do a lot of reminding about cleaning in those communal-style kitchens,” North Campus Coordinator/Director Reaunna Bartell said.
As for the students actually using those spaces, they are not necessarily representative of the opportunity for independence.
“Honestly, using the community cooking space in West just reminded me of how poor I was while I’m there making ramen again,” marketing major Lana Drew, a sophomore, said.
However, not every student finds their on-campus cooking experiences so harrowing.
Banner said: “It made it easier for me. It’s way more convenient. I don’t have to go all the way to my dining hall for cereal.”
While freshmen who live on campus are required to use the full meal plan, once a sophomore, students are able to choose where they live and how much of a meal plan they will be using.
As such, these in-dorm kitchens offer new financial avenues for students who may not be able to afford the full meal plan every year.
The opportunity to use a kitchen space within your dorm room is a boon to students; still, there are some pitfalls.
“I would say our biggest issue right now with the kitchens is education on fire safety,” Bartell said. “We have public signage, emergency signs, newsletters, even TikTok videos at one point.”
The residence life staff use several avenues to try and communicate the rules around fire and how to avoid smoke alarms going off while cooking, but there are always a handful of alarms that send students out of their dorm hall and into the parking lot or lawn surrounding it each year.
However, the community that is created around kitchens in the dormitories is well worth the occasional fire alarm.
Banner said that she particularly enjoys it when she has a chance to cook for her friends.
“It’s exciting, ‘cause people actually trust me cooking their food. And they always come back for more,” Banner said.
The chance to connect over a plate can help students craft a joyous community.
“I would keep my friend company while she cooked food for us, and one time we got yelled at because we were screaming and laughing too loud,” Drew said. “It was worth it.”
