This year nearly all of my friends, including myself, have moved off-campus. We’ve spread out among the apartments around town, making it much harder to see each other. Dorm life provides the perfect opportunity for impromptu hang-outs simply by knocking on their doors.

Apartment life, however, is not quite the same. So, we try to get together once a week on Sundays for potluck dinners. I welcome you to try it out too.

Make some time in that busy schedule of yours. Between midterms, finals, club meetings, homework, and who knows what else, sometimes it’s just nice to relax with friends. Here are some recipes to get you started.

1. Chicken Parm Nuggets

Potluck

Photo by Gina Marcucci

Everyone loves chicken nuggets and cheese. combine them to make an even better dish.

2. Pan Roasted Garlic Potatoes with Bacon

Potluck

Photo by Renee Chiu

Every good potluck needs a side of potatoes. Be the hero who brings them.

3. Shrimp and Red Pepper Sauce Pasta

Potluck

Photo by Spenser Protasewich

Pasta is a classic – you can’t go wrong. Plus, it’s just grown-up enough to make you seem even classier.

4. Crispy Fried Thai Chili Chicken

Potluck

Photo by Jake Weber

Fried chicken = best chicken.

5. Spring Strawberry Salad

Potluck

Photo by Keikichi Littleton

You do need vegetables every once in a while. Spruce them up with this fun salad.

6. Goat Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

Potluck

Photo by Shalayne Pulia

The only thing greater than meatballs is cheese-stuffed meatballs.

7. Pesto Pasta Bake

Potluck

Photo by Ellen Gibbs

You really can’t go wrong with pesto and pasta. Plus, baking it makes you seem even fancier.

8. Singaporean Clay Pot Rice

Potluck

Photo by Jonathan Lim

It’s just different enough from regular fried rice so that you seem much more ~worldly~ for knowing it.

9. Thai Peanut Ramen Stir-Fry

Potluck

Photo by Shalayne Pulia

Ramen is cheap (that kind of makes the decision for you doesn’t it?), but you can take it up a notch with this recipe.

10. Crunchy and Sweet Sriracha Shrimp

Potluck

Photo by Natsuko Mazany

Sriracha is the greatest gift to mankind. Put it on fried shrimp to impress your friends.