A session zero is basically a meeting where the DM and players talk about what kind of campaign they will play, the setting, whether the game will be more combat or RP heavy, whether it will be serious or humorous, topics or themes they’d rather avoid and those they’d like to explore, and maybe a bit about the player characters and how they fit into the story. It’s a good chance to get to know the other players and see whether you’re a good fit for the group.

You could get a folding board, that helps with shirts at least.

Whatsapp doesn’t use a lot of battery at all for me.

Would an electric kettle help? You can boil water with it, and then pour that water over ramen noodles, seasonings like miso paste/ chili flakes/ sesame oil, and chopped veggies. Makes a decent noodle soup, and is less hassle than heating it all up on the stove.

Or a slow cooker/ pressure cooker, where you just put all the ingredients in and it cooks it into a stew, soup or sauce.