A college dining hall is anything but gourmet.

Yes, there may be a wide variety of mediocre options, and that buffet style is undeniably useful to our empty pockets, but c'mon...our palates demand more flavor!

Keep reading to learn two simple tricks to take your college dining experience from "I eat this to survive" to "...What's McDonald's?"

1. Soft serve is your friend

If you're looking for something sweet, your dining hall's soft serve machine is just the trick.

• You can top your ice cream with cereal from the cereal bar!
• Add ice cream to your favorite soda to make a float!
• Make your own ice cream sandwich with cookies from the dessert bar!

2. The salad bar -- not just for salad

The salad bar is always a healthy go-to, but there are a few important things on a salad bar that can aid you on those all important cheat days -- bacon and cheese, to be more specific.

• Most dining halls have a "Fast Food" station with burgers and fries. Take that side of fries to the next level by topping them with bacon and cheese, microwave for 30 seconds, then head back to the salad bar for some ranch dressing!
• Use the same technique for loaded baked potatoes.
• Love deviled eggs? Grab some hard-boiled egg halves from the salad bar, and mix the yolks with a little mayo and mustard, refill the eggs, and enjoy!