It’s 7PM, and I’m starving. The last thing I ate was fried eggs on top of an English muffin that my mother made for me before she left for Illinois. That was at 9AM this morning.

I look in my freezer: glorious hamburger meat, frozen pizza, ice-cream and frozen chicken greet my eyes. The rest of the space is filled up with spaghetti sauce that my mother made as a going-away present for me before she left. I start to drool uncontrollably. I open up my fridge and find bread, lunch meat, jam, milk, eggs, and an assortment of condiments. I know that in the cupboard behind me is more food: hamburger helper mix, chips, peanut butter, Zatarain’s rice mix, and Lucky Charms.

I realize that I no longer have to live off of cereal and waffles alone, as I practically did when I lived in Normal, Illinois and went to Illinois State University. It was all about time consumption - the faster I could eat the better. Usually I had to take things with me on the road; a granola bar there, a banana here. Most days, I just had enough time to woof down a bowl of cereal before I had to go to my night class. I spent most of my money on plastic spoons, paper bowls, milk and Honey Nut Cheerios (or Frosted Cheerios, or Lucky Charms depending on how I felt at the time)

My stomach rumbles loudly, bringing me back to the present. I look around my kitchen at all of my new kitchen gadgets, trying to figure out what I could make with all of the food items I have in my cupboards.

I take down a porcelain bowl and fill it with Lucky Charms and milk.

Old habits die hard.

“Thanks for coming and helping me unpack,” I say to my brother on the elevator ride down to the van. My mother and brother came to help me unpack the last van-full of stuff, and then they went home. My brother nods at me, not saying anything.

“Brat,” I add affectionately.

“Nerd,” He retorts.

“Doofus.” I shoot back. If we weren’t holding items to be put into the van, I’m sure we would’ve been hitting each other at this point. Yeah, that sums up our relationship nicely.

Good luck in college, Dork.