This post is not just restricted to Amrita hostels, it could be any hostel for that matter. I've written this post with my experience and surviving tactics I've learnt here. I hope this post does not hurt anyone directly or indirectly and for the record, the food here at Amrita(if not amazing) is definitely not as bad as I've exaggerated. To state some facts, I have lost about 20 kg (86~65 kg)in the first four-five months in hostel, mainly because of the combined effort of yoga, swimming and running, but the food intake levels also had a decorative effect.
It’s 11:15 pm, the doors of night canteen are slam shut and so are the hostel doors, the dogs in the campus aren’t allowed to take a stroll out at this hour.
Feeling hungry is the most dreaded thing we could end up doing. Irrespective of whether there’s a time bomb under your bed or worse,
an exam up in front lined up the next week, this call needs to be answered. You could really hunt down a thin crust cheese burst pizza or your mom’s dhal makhni or some butter chicken from that gully wale, the
more you get reminded the worse it gets. So here’s how I managed to help drag
myself out of this ambush of thoughts about lip smacking food.
What entitles me to write this? I would have survived 4 years in this place in
another 6 months and I, unlike most of you am the weakest on the face of good
food. The very sight or smell or the thought about food starts the
gastronomical cycle eating my brain up leaving me hungry and thinking about and
longing for good food.
Here’s a list of things to follow that could possibly help you out of the most difficult times at hostel. A few of this might sound a little
parental and a few… well out-right nonsense, trust me each of these have helped
me(us) survive better with the limited supplies I(we) was left with.
1.
Never skip a meal
You might feel like
stopping to read this, but it helps. Not about statistics, but you’re 100% more
likely to feel hungry and long for good food if you’re starving. However bad it
tastes, be it the mighty idlies, or the bread biriyanis, kichdi, or the curd rice that has no taste, eat as much as possible. If not actually fill in your appetite, they might fool your brain saying you aren't starving.
2.
The evening snacks and tea
The evening tea and
snacks is the most underrated of all. They are terribly well designed to fill
your stomach for a small amount of time. The wonderful things thats served (so called tea and coffee) are
predominantly made of water and coffee/tea flavor have a capacity to fake your
thoughts and they make your brain believe you’re fed well. With an extra mug
of those, I could all night without feeling a thing on my stomach
3.
USE the GS!!
Spend a semester in the
campus and anybody would curse the General Store for having NOTHING! If looked
upon closely, they’ve got a little more than nothing. Here’s a list of things
that could turn out to be a life saver when you’re starving and don’t feel like
eating in the mess
- MILK The packed milk is pasteurized implying it is free from any possible germs or impurities. I’ve been drinking a half liter cold milk right off the pack on and off and I hadn’t had any issues. They are a classic appetite killer and could keep your stomach calm for a few hours.
Excessive consumption of milk as a replacement for meal is injurious to health. More of just milk dinner- you might have to consult a doctor for malnutrition.
- Bread, Bun, cream bun- These are excellent sides to the milk pack. A loaf of bread and a pack of 500ml milk will do the trick
- Plantain and other seasonal fruits
- Paal guava
- MILK The packed milk is pasteurized implying it is free from any possible germs or impurities. I’ve been drinking a half liter cold milk right off the pack on and off and I hadn’t had any issues. They are a classic appetite killer and could keep your stomach calm for a few hours.
Excessive consumption of milk as a replacement for meal is injurious to health. More of just milk dinner- you might have to consult a doctor for malnutrition.
- Bread, Bun, cream bun- These are excellent sides to the milk pack. A loaf of bread and a pack of 500ml milk will do the trick
- Plantain and other seasonal fruits
- Paal guava
4.
Load up during an apocalypse
A week with
periodicals, or a busy weekend stuck up with the lame project works, this is
the driest periods of our lives. This is when we call up the people we made
friends and acquaintances in our whole college life and ask them to get the
smallest possible treats from outside. It is times like these that one should
be really locked and loaded with ample food supply especially because you’ll be island-ed with the college food for the longest spell. The best things to load
up would be your favorite chips or anything JUNK! Hogging on junk during such
spells would kill the long lasting cravings. During these times having a few
extra boxes of cookies saved and some nuts to be on the healthy side would turn
out more useful than ever.
5.
Mix ‘em up
So this is the final
and favorite section! Something as simple as a pinch of sugar can kill the groaning stomach. To be listed below are a set of recipes I’ve heard from
friends, most of which I have survived on for more than three years. My next post will feature some of the easiest to the pro cookery we've learnt and perfected in hostel.
STAY TUNED!