Nostalgia is a mind’s trick, but our taste buds feel it too. At Pepperdine, students can often find themselves wrestling with homesickness. Far removed from their familiar routines, flavors and comforts of home, many college students find the transition into college life-altering.
Students said college dining feels limited, with fewer options and a loss of the small but meaningful food traditions that once carried rich memories.
First-year Talia Arotionians said cultural food outlets offer students a chance to bridge that gap.
“Walking through the aisles and seeing all of the familiar packaging that was in my cupboards, covered in Farsi, brought a lot of comfort, because I haven’t seen them since August,” Arotionians said.
In a city as diverse as Los Angeles, these markets are more than places to shop. They are cultural anchors, reminders of identity and for students away from home, a comforting way to feel connected in a brand-new environment, Arotionians said.
“It’s tied to tradition and nostalgia,” first-year Elijah Ahmadi said. “So it’s deeper than the taste. The taste acts as a catalyst to a connection, whether that be like a memory, a thought or a person.”
Food is Identity
Food is not just nourishment — it carries memories, tradition and belonging. Without much say over their choice of food here at Pepperdine, students said they are craving their comfort foods from home, and must find an outlet for that.
For Ahmadi, that was returning to his favorite Persian restaurant. One of his go-tos is a Sadaf tea. Mixed with a saffron stick, he said the simplicity of infused water holds such a strong connection to his Persian heritage.
Tahdig, a traditional Armenian dish Talia Arotionians made April 21, 2021. Arontionians said she loves to make Tahdig and other traditional foods with her family as a way to connect. Photo courtesy of Talia Arotionians
Although Pepperdine is a beautiful university with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, Spanish architecture and a peaceful environment, it can feel isolating, Arotionians said.
Away from home, many students feel they’ve already explored much of what Malibu has to offer — the Country Mart, Cross Creek Ranch and the Malibu Pier, first-year Rachel Widjaja said. But in a relatively small town, options can run out quickly.
“I now just Uber to the malls instead, because they have so much more than just Ralphs,” Widjaja said.
Widjaja poses with her friends in a photo strip on July 13. Widjaja said they were the last photos she took with her friends before they all left so it is a sentimental memory for her. Photo courtesy of Rachel Widjaja
Nostalgia and Student Voices
After spending only two months away from her hometown, Arotionians said she missed her everyday Armenian food. Growing up in an Armenian household, a big part of Arotionians’ life was food and her culture.
“Being able to connect with my family, aunts, uncles, grandparents through food, and being able to sit at our dinner table and connect with everyone through that, while catching up on our day or [celebrating] holidays, whatever it may be,” Arotionians said.
Now living alone at college, Arotionians said she misses these family interactions. The only way now to connect with home is through her food choices.
Finding Armenian food markets in the mosaic of cultures that is Los Angeles has been a way to not only feel connected to her home, but also make new friends through sharing her culture, Arotionians said.
Sharing with New Friends
One way students have fostered new friendships is through sharing their cultural food, Widjaja said.
“One time we went to Costco and bought a bunch of rice,” Widjaja said. “Half of us are Asian, so we can just connect over liking Asian food and going out to different Asian places. If you like the same food, you can go out together and eat your favorite foods together.”
Not only does exploring cultural food spots allow students to find a reminder of their own home, but it also allows them to introduce their friends to a new culture, Widjaja said.
“It’s been fun to have somebody to talk to and introduce to all these new things, because at home, most of my friends were either Armenian or they just knew about it growing up around it,” Arotionians said. “So, that sort of introduction is something I’ve never really been able to do, and I’ve enjoyed being able to do that.”
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Contact Charlotte van Oosterom via email: charlotte.vanoosterom@pepperdine.edu
