University is a time when you can decide and experience what to do with your free time outside of your studies. This could include joining a social, going for cocktails, doing a sport or activity, or organising some time with your friends. As fun as nights out are, I’m aware this is not the case for everybody. Some prefer a slower-paced conversational evening, rather than VKs and shots.
Come Dine With Me is a way for you and your friends to cook each other weekly meals, sit down and catch up on events, while also showing off your impressive cooking skills (or lack thereof). Organising a weekly event with friends allows you to experience new recipes, conversation, a social outlet, and a chance to feel like you’ve been wined and dined. You are also saving money rather than going to a restaurant. Cooking a weekly menu and then alternating the chef between your friends can be a really fun way to enjoy your free time.
Organising your Evening of Food and Chat
Making your own Come Dine With Me nights themed can add an extra element to the evening. This would involve dressing a certain way, or cooking a dish from a specific country. For example, I’ve seen many Mexican themed nights, as nobody can deny nachos and fajitas are one of the easiest yet tastiest meals a student can create.
Organising a voting system for the best evening, and then having a prize of a bottle of fizz, some money or just a free drink or two, allows for those people with a competitive streak, like myself, to pull out all the stops when cooking their go-to dish.
Potential ideas for some Come Dine With Me recipes, as I’ve already stated above, include fajitas, a roast with all the trimmings, spaghetti Bolognese or lasagne with a side of garlic bread, or baked camembert for those cheese lovers to enjoy. Nobody can deny that these recipes aren’t the hardest to create. Yet there will be clean plates all round as these tasty, simple and cheap dishes won’t disappoint.
Social Pressures of Drinking
Before entering university, some people can get anxious about the pressure to go out and drink. But rest assured there will always be likeminded people if you aren’t the partying type, or if you enjoy nights in rather than nights out.
Finding your people at university will happen and creating nights such as this allows for anxieties and social drinking pressures to ease.
Additionally, to help those who would rather have a night of conversation and entertainment, rather than clubbing, many universities have societies to assist. These include a cheese and wine society, film, or book club. Here you can find people who have the same interests as you. Although easier said than done, don’t feel that university is only for the heavy drinkers or social butterflies. Everyone will find their social outlet if they wish to.