As many people make the transition from high school to higher ed, one of the biggest noticeable differences is the increase in freedom. Mainly, the freedom of being able to choose what we want to eat. No longer do we have to eat all our greens. No longer do we have to wait till after dinner to have some sweets. The commons is the embodiment of food freedom. However, like with all things in life, our relationship with the commons goes through different stages.

1. Endearment

If you are fortunate, you will fall in love with at least one restaurant in the commons. You look forward to the weekends. Maybe once in awhile, you may treat yourself on a random Tuesday. Dining hall food? Forget about it. If you are ever feeling down, head to the commons for some comfort food.

2. Gluttony

There comes a point in every college kid's life when endearment turns into gluttony. Have you been to the commons every single day this week? Are you adding bacon to everything? Are you adding 3-7 patties to your hamburger? Maybe it’s time to slow it down a bit. Everything is good in moderation, but if you begin to go overboard, you may be putting some things at risk.

3. Trauma

You did it. After a few months of eating triple patty burgers with bacon on each layer, you finally got around to looking in the mirror. Are you finding it harder to get to the top of the stairs? Do your clothes no longer fit? Are you lacking motivation? Have your bowel movements become irregular? Bad news. The “Freshmen 15” has taken its toll.

4. Burnout

Love has turned into hatred. You’ve gone through the entire menu in your favorite restaurants and everything tastes the same. At this point, you are probably forcing yourself to take the first bite out of your meal. How did it get to this point? It’s barely been a month!

5. Acceptance

You have stopped fighting. It’s the weekend and you know that it’s time to head to the commons for some chow. You no longer have an opinion. You just go to your favorite place, get your favorite meal, and head back to your room.

Seems scary, right? Are you finding yourself in one of these stages? Well, you have the power to get out. Enjoy the commons in moderation. Be sure you’re doing your daily exercise. But most importantly, think about what you are ordering while you are in line.