I have a whale of a headache, but I suppose that's what I get for doing all my errands in one fell swoop.

One thing that seems to be a shared experience between dorms in the US and the UK is quick noodles.

In the US, the most prevalent are the various one that fall under the general heading of ramen noodles and, in my experience, the ones I hear most remembered from dorm life in the UK are collectively known as pot noodle.

I started with ramen noodles when I went away to boarding school. I'd had them before then, but mostly as a something to eat when sick.

But, during my first stint in a dormitory they took on a pervasive aspect I never could have anticipated.

People used them for food, obviously, but they also have barter value (I'll lend you my new black heels if you give me those two packs of oriental flavor, etc).

While pot noodle seems to be a 'boil kettle, pour in water, stir' situation, ramen was best if made on a stove. This is converted to interesting and not entirely successful microwaving experimenting.

I honestly hated microwaved ramen, so, on a whim, I tried just eating the noodles dry.
And I discovered that they were EXCELLENT. Mmm.

Nowadays, with my dorm days behind me, I still like to have raw ramen on occasion.

Luckily, there's a grown up version.

( Cabbage and Ramen Salad )