Everything’s changing—except for my love for Shin Ramyun

When asked about their college sweethearts, most people talk about how their crush made them feel: how their heart excitedly beat faster, how flushed their face would get, how they’d leave every encounter looking forward to the next one. And I’m no different—except for the fact that my college love was Shin Ramyun .

We met late one night in the dorms through my roommate/bad habit enabler, Macs. When they pulled out a pack emblazoned in red and black with bold, all caps type, I couldn’t look away. And when Macs realised I hadn’t tried it before, the light berating began. How could I, an “adult” (no one is a real adult at 19), settle for anything other than a pack of instant ramyun that, with the addition of hot water and time, transformed into springy, chewy noodles swimming in a peppery, extremely slurpable broth?

Macs slid me a bowl of Shin. I wolfed it down in less time than it took to make it. My heart beat in my ears. My forehead shone with each warming spoonful of broth. I got as close to blushing as I’d ever been. The ashen red spice mix turned water into a nasal-clearing, sweat-inducing beefy broth. All that paired with perfectly toothsome noodles, and I was hooked. Days after, I scoured nearby convenience stores, the student centre, even the little stores connected to dining halls that peddled random pantry goods in search of the ramyun. I was in deep. I still am.

Yes, me and my college crush are still together, and I stock packs of Shin Ramyun like a (responsible, non-hoarding) doomsday prepper—and there are plenty of food reasons why! They’re an ideal meal as I find myself leaving home less and craving comfort more. They don’t require anything but hot water and time, and can accommodate any vegetables I might have lingering in my fridge. Plus, I never have to worry about doing an onslaught of dishes afterward—just the assurance I need as my will to hand wash literally anything nears non-existence. They’re fast and filling on the many days when I can barely bring myself to cook anything at all. Everything may feel up in the air in the current moment, but my love for Shin Ramyun is unwavering.

The article originally appeared on Bonappetit.com

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