For many first-year students, this will be the first year you learn to live as an adult. You might not have to clean a bathroom (one of the only perks of living in a dorm), but you will have to at least moderately keep your room neat and clean. You’ll probably have awful time and money management skills, but that’s what your first year on your own is all about. The move to a dorm also means moving away from a fully stocked refrigerator (even worse – moving away from home cooked meals nightly). PCB is convenient, but after about three weeks, the “endless” options advertised at orientation start to seem monotonous. Going to the UC would be nice… if you didn’t have to fight a hungry mob to get your sub-par salad creation. But what are your other options with only a microwave and a mini-fridge? Never fear – you’re not doomed to a semester of cereal and ramen noodles. We’ve got the answer. Check out the recipes below covering everything from breakfast to late night munchies.

Breakfast: Omelette in a Mug

2 eggs

1-tablespoon milk

Toppings of choice: ham, cheese, turkey, green peppers (or whatever’s in the fridge)

Salt and pepper

Even for the most inexperienced cook, it shouldn’t take longer than 5 minutes until this semi-gourmet meal is ready to eat. First, beat the eggs and milk together in the mug with a fork. Microwave this for one minute. Then add all of your toppings and microwave an additional 30-45 seconds (or until egg is thoroughly cooked). Add salt and pepper to taste. Now you can skip the obnoxiously long omelette line in PCB for your own easy creation.

Lunch: Pita Pizza

1 pita

1/2 cup baby spinach

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Another homemade PCB alternative. Simply arrange your toppings on the pita bread and microwave 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted to your satisfaction. The toppings listed above are variable based on your own specific taste. If you want to substitute the spinach, mushrooms and grape tomatoes with bacon, ham and pepperoni, go for it. Feel free to get creative.

Dinner: Ramen Noodles (with a twist)

1 package ramen noodles

1 cup fresh spinach

3 medium button mushrooms

2 whole green onions

1 egg

1-teaspoon chili garlic paste (or just use the regular old ramen seasoning packet)

With a slightly more extensive cook time, this meal makes the college food staple into a high-class noodle dish. First, fill a bowl with two cups of water and heat on high for three minutes (to approximately a boil). Add your brick of noodles and microwave for another 5 minutes. Immediately add your veggies and allow them to soften in your nearly boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Finally, make a well in the center of your bowl (picture making a space in the middle of your mashed potatoes to pour gravy into) and crack an egg into it. Allow the egg to poach so that the whites are solid but the yolk is still runny. Or simply stir the egg into the noodles for a sort of egg drop soup.

Late Night Munchies: Nachos

A bag of tortilla chips of your choice

1 cup refried beans

1 cup salsa/pico de gallo

1-tablespoon diced green chiles

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Guacamole or sour cream for garnish

(also add tomatoes or black olives to your taste)

Do yourself a favor and slow down on the Cookout. This may not be the healthiest snack, but it might be easier on your stomach and on your wallet. Before you dump everything on your chips, do a little prep work. Microwave the beans for 30 seconds. This makes it easier to mix them into the pico de gallo and/or salsa, and then drop that onto the chips in spoonfuls. Sprinkle the green chiles and cheese over the top. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes, and then top with sour cream and/or guacamole.