College students know the struggle when it comes to balancing daily classes and keeping oneself fed. UNC Chapel Hill student Gillian (Gill) Riley, popularly known as @lifewithgill, makes cooking in a dorm easier by sharing hacks she’s found while living in a dorm. By staying true to her vegan lifestyle, Gill likes to keep her eats quick, fun, and yummy with a unique rotation of food combinations that anyone would be curious to try.
In feeding the internet dorm room cooking core, Gill landed the title of 2025 Food & Bev Influencer of the Year for InfluenceHer Collective (IHC). Of the four IHC award categories, Gill fit the bill when it came to setting food trends on her TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube channel.
We interviewed Gill about being a food influencer, college life, essential college dorm ingredients, and a hack for using food as utensils.
Spoon University: What’s it feel like being this year’s Food & Bev Influencer?
Gillian Riley: I was in shock believe it or not. When I got the call I was scared because whenever I go to interviews it’s serious so I tried to be professional-looking. I put on a nice sweater even though I had my pajama pants on, and when they told me I got it I was freaking out. I’m still fairly new to the social media space, but it felt amazing connecting with other content creators and seeing my platform get to this point.
SU: Why did you start making dorm food content?
GR: Honestly, making food content was not my initial plan. One night I got dining hall food and I thought it would be funny to make a video about it because our dining hall food is not the best. When I posted the video it got a lot of attention and I just kept making videos because I liked the process. I feel like not a lot of people know how hard it is to be vegan or meatless in college so I wanted to use social media as a space to share that type of content.
SU: What has been your favorite dish to make in your dorm? Least fav?
GR: I’m a big bagel girl. People have literally come up to me on campus and have asked if I’m the ‘bagel girl’ and I think it’s so funny. But I love bagels because they’re easy and quick and I like to mix up the toppings. My least favorite thing I made was in the microwave. That was a disaster and I didn’t even end up posting the video. Microwave pasta is intricate and I’m more of a simple cooker.
SU: How did you come up with the idea for avocado and salsa on a bagel?
GR: I love avocado toast. I saw salsa in my fridge and I just thought, go for it. The combo was actually pretty good, and it brings up the fact that when you’re in college there’s not a lot to work with food wise so being creative is what you rely on. My way of adding variety to my bagels was adding salsa that I got from Trader Joe’s, and I will not go back. I promise, it’s so good.
SU: What’s a food hack you’ve learned that you’ll always appreciate when dorm cooking?
GR: This is very niche, but if I’m spreading something like hummus I will use a baby carrot to do the job so I can just eat it afterward. I want to do the least amount of dishes as possible so it’s one less dish that I have to clean.
SU: How do you come up with your dorm food combinations so you know you’re going to be full?
GR: Listening to your body is what is important. When figuring out what I want to eat, I think about a protein, a carb, a fat source and some sort of fruit or vegetable. That’s where my bagels and carrots come in. Meals aren’t perfect when you’re in college, but it’s important to be prepared with snacks and go with what your body needs.
SU: If you could choose any fictional world to eat in, what would it be?
GR: The first thing that popped into my head was Ratatouille. My family is Italian and I love a good pasta. Even though the food would be cooked by rats it still looks pretty good.
SU: Outside of providing dorm food recipes to the masses, what are your passions?
GR: A lot of things. I really want to go into the law field and be at the forefront of change. I’m also very passionate about medicine now that I’m pre-med. Sitting still is not my thing so traveling is something I value in addition to being a fitness trainer at my university. I love the ocean and surfing, and I have a stingray tattoo to prove it. I also like to prioritize my relationships with my family and friends so they feel supported.
SU: What is an essential ingredient that all college students should have in their dorms/apartments?
GR: Seasonings and condiments. It’s the key to making sure your dining hall food is not bland.
SU: For college students looking to incorporate a vegan diet into their lives, what do you suggest they do to ease into it?
GR: Focus on progress over perfection. If you slip up, don’t worry about it. Every little step you take in incorporating plant-based food into your diet is already making a difference to your body and the environment.
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