One of the main things that accompany the start of college is having to eat every meal at one of the on-campus dining halls. While at first, it seems exciting to not have to worry about cooking or paying for food every time you're hungry, it quickly becomes extremely hard to force yourself to go into a dining hall rather than buying fast food.
As a freshman with no other options, here are some of the emotions that run through everyone's mind as they use a meal swipe to get that same cheese pizza as the last 4 visits.
1. When you decide to be "adventurous" and try something the dining hall has never offered before
I'm usually that person who thinks the new "special pasta with mixed vegetables and meat" couldn't be that bad... until I take that first bite. Never get your hopes up when the menu suddenly changes.
2. When you make the mistake of going to the dining hall at prime lunch time, only to get inside and have 10 minutes before your class starts
Thank you to everybody for conveniently deciding to show up at the same dining hall at the exact same time. That line was definitely worth waiting 20 minutes in so I could grab some stale pizza and barely make it to my next class.
3. When people tell you to stop complaining and go buy groceries
Trust me when I say that if I weren't on a mandatory meal plan, no, in fact, I would not be spending my time in this dining hall.
4. When you just need lunch but have no idea where to start
Do I start with the salad bar that's out of lettuce, the drink dispenser that never has ice, or should I just forego it all and have dessert for lunch?
5. When you're starving but nobody is free the same time as you
We've all had our fair share of sitting alone in dining halls. Sometimes it's nice for a quick break alone, but other times we wish we could have some human contact between classes.
6. When you've spent all day doing work and decide to take a food break
Sometimes that food break in the campus dining hall just proves how tired we truly are.
7. When you ask your friends at other schools about their dining halls
The topic of food in college seems to be a taboo subject for everyone involved, and I don't think that will ever change.
8. When you realize that you get to go home and have real food again
And sometimes, that's the only thing getting us through the rest of the semester.
