When coming to college, you hear the rumors of the "freshman 15", the all-you-can-eat food lines and the horror stories about the food.
After having been in college for almost a year, I found that two of the above three are not true. You can avoid the freshman 15. Not all the food is awful, but yes, there is all-you-can-eat (and many take advantage of it).
From freshman year to senior year, I am sure the students develop a love-hate relationship with their campus's dining hall. I mean, even pizza gets boring after a while, right?
Here are the seven stages I believe most college students go through:
1) The "I can eat ALL of this for breakfast, lunch AND dinner?!" stage. Ahh, the first few days of your freshman year. The glorious moment when you realize you can have pizza for lunch and dinner, along with ice cream and big bowls of Lucky Charms for breakfast. Nothing is better than this. You are king of the castle.
2) The "fascination with the cereal bar" stage. I know when I went to college, I was always googly-eyed at the many choices of cereal. Let's face it, what more does a college student want then to mix all seven of their favorite childhood cereals into one bowl?
3) The "okay, I really could go for some real home cooked food" stage. After the first stretch of freshman year (if you are lucky to go home on fall break) you realize how tired you are of pizza twice a day, everyday, and you really want your mom's homemade mashed potatoes more than anything in this world.
4) The "I am so stressed with finals and midterms that I am going to eat all the ice cream and cookies" stage. The unlimited dessert supply at college is really a comfort for students when stressed. When you're cramming for huge tests, that "one more cookie" really seems like it is going to help because cookies are brain food, right? Sugar rush!
5) The "I am eating healthy - salad bar only" stage. As young adults, we want to look good and feel good. Eating healthier enables both. I know guys and girls alike who try to adapt a healthier lifestyle in college, and the salad bar is a great way to do this. It has so many options and different toppings.
6) The "midnight Sheetz or Wawa run" stage. Okay, midway through your college career you are absolutely tired of the dining hall food, so you pick at each meal, only to find yourself starving. What then? Well, gas station food, of course!
7) The "what is the lowest meal plan I can get?" stage. By senior year, students are burnt out. They want to try to buy more food for themselves because: A) They are ready to try to "adult", B) Many live off campus or in nicer dorms or C) They are burnt out on campus food.
All in all, the dining hall is not a bad place. It is a place for socialization and making friends. The staff is friendly, and the food isn't going to kill you. Even if you commute, I encourage you to try the dining hall (even if it is only once).
