Making memories at Southampton

Last week I handed in my last piece of coursework, officially ending the taught part of my Masters degree, and four years at Southampton.

It’s a strange feeling. Although I’m not finished yet as I still have my thesis to write, I’m supposedly finished with teaching for good. I started school when I was three years old and 19 years later I have finally come to the end – which is almost impossible to comprehend. Being at one school or another is literally the only thing I have ever done, and now I have to go and do something else, it makes me feel really very old! Rather than talking about the future (which is a bit terrifying and still seems so far away) I want to write about the past four years at Southampton. I went on a bit of a mission through my Facebook to find my favourite memories from my time here, so that I could share them with you.

Just hanging out with new friends in first year.

First year was mad and it seems so long ago now; but looking back through all the photos I remember how much fun we had just getting together and having dinner, or just chilling out in the flats with the big kitchens. I have met so many wonderful people in Southampton and I owe so many of my favourite memories to them.

First Christmas Dinner

The Geogsoc boat ball

India!

In second year we went on a week-long trip to Bangalore as part of one of our modules and it was one of the best experiences of my life. As well as working with the Belaku trust, and interviewing women who worked with them we had so much time to explore the city and their culture.

We also raised money for a school for slum children and were treated to an afternoon with them which insane amounts of fun.

The trip to Bangalore really sparked my interest in statistics and the importance of them in the real world outside of the classroom and, considering statistics is my chosen career now, I really owe a lot to the people we worked with.

All of us sightseeing

At the school

Joining the kickboxing society.

Kickboxing was absolutely brilliant and I am so glad I joined the society. This photo is all of us looking smart ready for the AU Ball, but I have hundreds of others from various different social events and it was hard to choose just one! Being part of a society is almost an integral part of university life and it made my second year so much more interesting and exciting. I would recommend that everyone joins at least one, and with so many to choose from I’m sure you’ll find one that you fall in love with.

Looking presentable for once!

Learning how to cook

When I came to University the only thing I was good for in a kitchen was as a potwash. Four years later and that’s completely different. I’ve written a few times about my favourite recipes and the importance of being able to cook your own food (it’s healthier and you save money!) so I thought cooking deserved a mention here.

The photo below is from New Year’s Eve last year which was spent with some of my closest friends from Southampton drinking and making fresh pasta. That might not sound like the most exciting way to bring the New Year in, but it was such a lovely evening and although it took us a good few hours to prepare, the food was delicious!

Homemade ravioli

There are so many more memorable events, from impromptu dinners to going to see Bill Bailey at the Mayflower a couple of weeks ago. The list is endless but the above are my absolute favourite. I will definitely miss the randomness of University life.

It’s wonderful to be able to look back and know that I wouldn’t change a thing about my experience here and I’m happy that it’s not quite over for me yet!

Emma

Let's talk about cooking

It’s a much-talked-about topic: the challenges that students face being away from home. One of the biggest is learning to cook. There are hundreds of cookbooks aimed at students, but what many of them don’t cover is the real basics: pantry essentials, absolutely necessary cooking utensils, and how to limit kitchen waste.

I came to university having never cooked anything for myself other than a few basic dishes (namely pasta, toad in the hole and pancakes). When I moved into halls I really struggled to find my feet with cooking, and if I hadn’t been blessed by living with someone who not only knew how to cook, but was happy to teach me, I would still be living off Asda’s frozen mash potato (yeah, it’s really a thing).

First up, the pantry essentials. Over time I have realised that there are certain foods that I just cannot live without in my kitchen. Regardless of my food plan for the week, I always make sure that I have these basic staples in my cupboards:

• Brown Rice. It’s a must have because it goes with so many different proteins or veggie dinners.
• Pasta. Of course, no student kitchen is complete without some kind of pasta, I love fusilli tricolore, and almost never buy plain white pasta.
• Carrots, onions and garlic. If your kitchen currently doesn’t have any of these bad boys, get it sorted. Almost everything I make has at least one of these ingredients present, from pasta sauce and chicken casserole, to burgers - these veggies are must haves. 

My kitchen veggie basket

• Tinned tomatoes. They’re cheap (33p a can from International foods), keep forever in the cupboard and by making your own tomato pasta sauce it can constitute almost all of your five a day in one meal.
• Tomato puree, for the same reason as tinned tomato. I make a lot of sauces from scratch rather than buying jars of tomato pasta sauce. By making your own you are taking out all of the salt and sugar that are in bought sauces and massively boosting the health factor in your dinner. Easy peasy!
• Soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and BBQ sauce. Need I give much explanation? Whatever you’re cooking I bet it can be improved by the addition of one of these.

I didn’t mention the spice rack because that develops naturally as you buy the things you need for new dishes – plus when you move into a new flat you can share spice staples. 

Your cupboard doesn’t need to be as packed as this!

Right then, now that you have a kitchen stocked with the right food, let’s look at the utensils you’re bound to require:

• A decent size, decent quality saucepan. You don’t have much space for these things, particularly in halls, so rather than having three or four, spend your money on one good quality pan that will last - and take care of it!
• One good size deep frying pan ( big enough to feed four people) . You will come back to using this time and time again, and by getting a deep one you can use it as a wok for stir fries, and cook up enough Bolognese to feed your whole flat, or yourself for the next week. Remember, if you’re going to make a Bolognese or curry, cook more and then freeze what you don’t eat. That way next time you don’t feel like cooking, you simply have to heat it up, rather than turning to a ready meal.
• A rubber/silicone spoon. Rubber and silicone spoons are so forgiving and so easy to clean! Avoid wood because it’s harder to clean and easier to stain and damage.
• A good set of knives. You probably don’t need more than three. I bought a set of three knives from Sainsbury’s for £12 and they are brilliant! A good knife doesn’t have to break the bank, but it will make your life easier to have them around.
• Plastic chopping board.
• Pyrex dish – not sure what to call it but you know what I mean – the things you make lasagne, pasta bakes, toad in the hole or casserole in.
• A colander or sieve, obviously.

As I’ve had three years to build up my stock of utensils – combined with my partners stuff, I have about five times as much as I need.

Not everyone can afford one of these bad boys but put it on your Christmas list -  you won’t regret it - or watch out for one in the sales!

Pretty much all of the above can be bought from Ikea or nearby supermarkets for less than you’d think. Strapped for cash? Ask your parents if they have a spare lying around, or go halves with a flatmate who is in need of the same stuff.

Finally, how to limit kitchen waste - i.e. how to avoid throwing out food that you haven’t gotten round to eating and has now gone off. There is only one reliable way to do this guys; make a food plan, and be disciplined about it. Every Sunday before I write my weekly shopping list I make a food plan based on what I already have in the kitchen, and what I think I’ll fancy cooking based on how much time I’ll have to make dinner each day. By doing this I have cut my kitchen waste hugely, and saved a fair amount of money in the process.

My food plan for the week

Just because we are students, it doesn’t mean we have to live up to the cliché that students can’t cook and don’t know how to eat. Don’t waste your money on a cookbook, that’s what the internet is for! Bbcgoodfood.com has thousands of recipes and most of Jamie Oliver’s recipes are online anyway.

Some hotdogs with spicy BBQ caramelised onions, red pepper and bacon. 

 

20 minute chicken stir fry

Now, go forth. enjoy learning how to cook and love what you make!

Emma