After a semester of on-campus living, my dining hall experience has been memorable, to say the least. There are many pros to eating on campus, but there are some serious cons as well.

Pros

Breakfast. Omelet stations, waffle makers, biscuits with gravy … happiness is when breakfast is served past noon on the weekends so that you can sleep in and also enjoy bacon.

Buffet style. Love the chicken skewers you just ate? Go ahead, get another plate! Dislike the casserole? That’s okay, you can try a different food. Buffet style allows for unlimited trips and no shame for getting second servings!

Ice cream machine. Need I say more?

Pizza. No matter what is served for dinner, pizza is always there for you.

Seating. You can eat at a dining hall with up to 15 of your friends at one table. It’s like camp/cafeteria/birthday dinner all in one.

Theme Nights. If it’s Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving lunch, Brazilian food night, or a Valentine’s Day special, the dining halls create a variety of themed foods all with adorable decorations.

Staff. A meal always seems to taste better when greeted at the door with a smile. The staff is friendly, funny, and laid back. They can always put students in a good mood.

Convenience. Nothing is better than food being just a quick stroll outside. In the spring, the walk is enjoyable and on the cold rainy days just a quick hustle along leads to warm food.

Cons

Hours. Why does the dining hall close at eight? Sometimes a girl just wants a bowl of Lucky Charms after a late night of studying.

False Advertisements. If you are going to post signs with delicious thick burgers and crispy golden fries then please deliver that exactly on my plate.

Athlete dinning. Of the three dining halls on campus, one dining hall is only open for athletes during dinnertime. Rumor has it that these student athletes are eating lobster and thick steaks on a typical Tuesday night. Don’t get me wrong I think they deserve awesome food for all their hard work. My lack of athleticism denies me entry, however, my love for food should allow for the occasional visit. (They do show competitive eating on ESPN ... Correct?)

Online Menu. Few things are more disappointing than seeing chicken tenders on the online menu for dinner only to discover it has actually changed to corn nuggets once you swipe in. (Side note — I'm not discriminating against corn nuggets, I'm just not sure what that is?)

Digestive problems. It is hard to estimate the number of students that have personally been victimized by the infamous “Fatal Fountain” dining hall.

Manners. Please, please, please do not be the guy who drops the serving tongs and then proceeds to grab the salad with his bare hands. Just don’t do it. Your mom raised you better — I know she did.