So, I went to visit my youngest son at ASU last weekend. He moved into a new apartment this year and his dad and older brothers went with him for the drop-off. You won’t believe what they brought – just clothes, toiletries, and a blow-up mattress! I felt bad at first, but it turns out they took him to Target and he said he didn’t need anything. So, they left him with a lifetime supply of toilet paper and headed home. That’s how guys do a successful college drop-off.

This is his second year at ASU, so he decided to try apartment living instead of the dorms. He quickly realized that he didn’t have any kitchen equipment or cooking skills, so he called me for help. I bought him some basic kitchen essentials and, of course, my cast iron skillet – I can’t live without it. Then, I headed over to lend him a hand.

When I arrived, he was genuinely excited and we unloaded all his new cooking tools. Turns out, he didn’t really know how to use any of them, but we’ll figure that out later.

What surprised me the most was that he moved in with two girls who had been there since last year, and there was nothing in the living area except a TV. Not the most inviting space without somewhere to sit.

Now, you might think that poor college students couldn’t afford furniture. Well, let me tell you that’s nonsense! It took me just 5 minutes to find cheap or even free furniture on websites like offerup.com and letgo.com. I mean, come on, how did I find this stuff quicker than a bunch of millennials? John has a truck and two arms, so he’s perfectly capable of picking up that free dresser down the street!

I truly believe that our surroundings have a big impact on how we feel and function. Some people are surprised by the bold colors in my house, but they make me want to dance around. A room painted in shades of beige just makes me want to crawl into a hole and die. Vibrant colors wake you up, put a smile on your face, and improve your mood.

I’m not saying these kids need to hire a decorator or become experts in feng shui, but we can do better.

How about having a place to sit, hang out with friends, and share a meal? How can you be productive doing homework on a blow-up mattress on the floor, with gray sheets no less? Doesn’t sound very inspiring to me.

As I stood in his room, clothes scattered all over the floor, he picked things up and shoved them in my face for the “smell test.” I was about to have a mom-attack!

As much as I wanted to go all out and decorate his college room, I held back a bit. In his eyes, the room was “fine, mom.” I didn’t paint the walls orange or go crazy with a bright green lacquered desk or polka-dotted chair. But I did clean up the place, get him a wooden desk, comfy chairs, candles, floor mats, and a hamper. That should do the trick.

We also went grocery shopping, and I left him some easy one-skillet recipes that I found online. These recipes are perfect for college-age cooks – simple and no hassle with lots of pots and pans to clean.

He’s been calling me every day as he makes each of the meals.  It wasn’t my proudest moment when he told me he didn’t know how to use a can opener, but at least he’s learned now. And who knows, maybe a few cooking skills will impress the girls!

He just texted me saying, “This is the best I’ve eaten since living in AZ.”

Who knows what culinary heights chef John will reach from here! Hopefully, he’ll keep his room at least somewhat clean until my next visit.