If there’s anything I’ve learned in my three weeks of college, it’s how much I dislike the cafeteria. Every college freshman knows the struggle of trying to save money, so they choose the cafeteria over going out to eat, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I just literally can't even anymore. Honestly speaking, I think my hardest transition of college is not having my mom's home-cooked meals every day. The cafeteria is simply just not for me, and here is why:
1. The swiping of the card to get in
For starters, you wait in a long line and wait to have your meal card swiped ... basically, like you're going to the club but less exciting. And in my case, I end up wasting a meal swipe because I remember I dislike all the food in the place anyway.
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2. Waiting in lines
The line is not on the top of my list of "fun things to do." I once waited for a smoothie for what seemed like years. I had ordered a smoothie, and after 25 minutes went by and the five people who ordered after me had already gotten their orders, my inner Jersey girl came out. I decided to settle and take the next smoothie that came out. I ended up having to sip on strawberry instead of the wild berry I had ordered. #firstworldproblems
3. The hours
They're never open when you need them. For example: Nothing is worse than when you're "hangry" (hungry + angry) or when you're coming home late at night on the weekends and the only option is stopping at McDonald's.
4. Crossing campus
To make things worse, if you want a change from the mediocre food in your building you have to take a 10-minute walk across campus just to have some other food options that also happen to suck.
5. Zero variety
Literally my only options here are a horrible bagel (because no one does bagels like Jersey, let's be real), salad, that salad put into a wrap, mozzarella sticks, and last but not least, ice cream (because, let's be real, even bad ice cream is good ice cream).
6. Nutritional facts
Can we just take a moment to acknowledge the fact that we have no idea what is even in our food. It's simple luxury we take for granted at home, everything we eat we can at least read the nutritional facts on, but in college you simply have no clue.
7. “Because no great story started with someone eating a salad”
If you want to eat healthy here, your best option is to eat a salad every day. Some people are about that life, but personally I am not. I may be a vegetarian, but I need real food every once and a while. Am I right, ladies, or am I right?
8. Speaking of which, what about the vegetarians?
If you are a vegetarian in college you know we stand alone; there aren’t many of us, but if you are one, you understand my struggle. The lack of variety certainty doesn’t make this easy.
9. Proportions
You basically get what you get. However generous the worker is feeling that day is how much of that food you will get, unless you make friends with them and ask for more.
10. Nothing tastes like home
My Italian blood is boiling right now as another weekend passes by without my Mom's usual Sunday dinner. This is just about the only thing I miss from back home. Anyone who knows me is aware that the key to my heart is a good bowl of pasta. Unfortunately, I signed myself up for this when I decided to go to college 1,000 miles away!
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