My Love-Hate Relationship With The Dining Halls
Start writing a post
Student Life

My Love-Hate Relationship With The Dining Halls

17
My Love-Hate Relationship With The Dining Halls

I can’t say I love the dining halls at William and Mary, but I don’t hate them either. They just exist and I eat their food, and because of their existence I exist. I live off-campus this year, but I still bought 250 meals for the year. My main motivation behind buying a meal plan that wasn’t required were the facts that I hate cooking and the meal plan came with a lot of dining dollars.

You save money by buying your own meals when you live off-campus, but at the cost of time and convenience. With classes across campus, I have to walk fifteen minutes to get home, then prepare the food, eat it, and clean up. The time I would waste walking back and forth in between classes would make my stress level exceed my hunger level.

Part of my aversion for mass-produced food comes from my work experience at a camp during weekend retreats. Seeing the eggs being stirred by an oar-sized spatula in a bathroom-like contraption made me sick. When I would go as a camper I ate the eggs knowing where they had been, which was both comforting and horrifying.

When I decided to go to William and Mary I got asked, “How is the food there?” To which I would respond, “Edible.” I was proud that I was not going to a school like Virginia Tech or James Madison University solely because their food consistently gets rated best in the country. I thought not having nationally acclaimed dining hall food would prevent me from getting the Freshman 15. I quickly found out this was a lie, but it was bound to happen to me anyway.

My feelings toward the dining hall also come from their sustainability initiative. Last year there was an option to use the free “Choose to Reuse” green containers that reduce waste because they are plastic and can be washed instead of thrown away after one use. This year the containers are $5 for students, and it’s mandatory in order to get a meal to go. I don’t think students should be required to pay to be a part of the sustainability initiative, and because they are $5 I have to make sure I have one if there is a chance I will get a meal to go, or I have to pay $5 for a new one.

I appreciate everything the workers at Sodexo do every day to make sure people get meals anytime they want. I know it’s hard to mass produce food and make sure there are ample options daily, but I still don’t love the food. However, I don’t feel the need to sign any petitions against Sodexo or post pictures of a moldy piece of bread that I received at Sadler. It’s impossible for the workers to scrutinize every piece of food that touches our plate, and although the insults are usually directed at the food provider, the comments reflect on the workers who go in every day making our food and cleaning our dishes.

My love-hate relationship with the food in the dining halls makes me appreciate home more. Living in Richmond, Virginia I have every restaurant at my disposal when I go home, and because they are a treat I don’t get tired of them. The home-cooked meals I used to roll my eyes at are now delicacies, which makes my mom happy. I’m not ready to cook five-course meals for myself, so I will stick with the dining hall food as my main source of nutrition.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58958
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

38061
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959567
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

195937
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments