Living off campus is amazing.  You have more space, freedom to have a random flip-cup party any day of the week without an R.A. on your case, and an escape from cafeteria food.  However, for all these great perks, there are some things about living off campus that I just can’t help but miss.

Proximity to your friends.

Even if you choose to live with a friend (or friends, depending on the size of your apartment or house you’re renting), you’ll never have the same access to your friends as you did when you lived on campus.  They were either in the next dorm, just down the hall, or sleeping in the bed that was two feet away from yours (or, if they were a really good friend, they were just in your bed).  When you live off campus, you have to make plans to see people, work around conflicting schedules, and any chance of a spontaneous night of debauchery pretty much goes right out the window.  What’s easier than sneaking down the hallway at 2am and waking up your friends with a fifth of Popov and some orange juice? Nothing says “friendship” like a rousing game of Popov Pong. Read More »

Paneer…the very word makes my mouth water and my stomach happy. If you’re familiar with Indian cuisine, you might know about paneer. If you don’t, though, then you’re seriously missing out.

I used to go to Indian restaurants just to order a fantastic, steaming-hot plate of paneer butter masala or mutter paneer. I couldn’t afford to do it often, because $15 is a little steep for just one dish, but it was worth it. Now, though, I can cook the same things in my own kitchen for the same deliciousness but a much smaller cost.

Why? Because I finally found out how to get and cook paneer!

Often called “cottage cheese” on Indian menus, paneer is just about as far away from American cottage cheese as you can get. It’s a solid, firm cheese that is made from thick curds, and it softens when cooked but holds its shape in cubes. If it sounds a little hard to describe, it is. Just trust me that it’s delicious. Read More »