Dining hall leaves an effect, even when off campus
By Derek Melnyk
Last Updated:10:41 AM EST 10/27/09 Section: Viewpoint
Some nights, I lie in my bed, craving a buffalo chicken wrap with a side of potato wedges, all for the one swipe of a red plastic card. I miss those days.
As a senior, I decided it was time to move off campus. I wanted to find out how life was without security or the hardworking resident assistants. Only a month into school, I miss only one thing. And I miss it so badly I could cry.
The dining hall and "late night" are the J-Lo to my Ben. The playoffs to my Bills. The Sirius to my Harry. I feel incomplete without them in my life. Whatever mood I was in, the dining hall was always there to comfort me.
I miss the wide array of food choices. Every single day, I could eat wraps, burgers, stir fry, salad, or anything else a college kid could desire. Nowadays, my meals consist of Campbell's Chunky and boxed Yoo-Hoos. Occasionally, I'll dabble in the frozen food aisle at Wegmans, but the dining hall trumps all.
I miss seeing numerous people during lunchtime. On any given day, I would see 10-15 people I knew. Do you realize how good that is for a person's self-esteem? I felt loved and popular when I went to lunch. Now, I stare at the front of the microwave, hoping I won't burn my Chicken Fiesta Lean Pocket, sitting in complete silence.
I miss the small things, like waiting in line nearly 15 minutes for a bowl of fresh pasta. Or hoping and praying for a buttermilk chicken sandwich day, knowing it would never come. Or getting to late night at 11:59 after a long night of studying. These are only a few of the small things off-campus life can not live up to.
I even miss the friendly workers in the dining hall. The workers in the front, always waiting eagerly to swipe my card. The workers behind the counter, always excited to fulfill my hunger. It brings a tear to my eye.
Thinking back on my years of dining hall experience, I took it for granted. Sure, there was always a plentiful garden of meals just a short walk away. Sure, I paid a lot of money for my meal plan every semester. But can you put a price on happiness? I think not.
dcm00494@sjfc.edu
As a senior, I decided it was time to move off campus. I wanted to find out how life was without security or the hardworking resident assistants. Only a month into school, I miss only one thing. And I miss it so badly I could cry.
The dining hall and "late night" are the J-Lo to my Ben. The playoffs to my Bills. The Sirius to my Harry. I feel incomplete without them in my life. Whatever mood I was in, the dining hall was always there to comfort me.
I miss the wide array of food choices. Every single day, I could eat wraps, burgers, stir fry, salad, or anything else a college kid could desire. Nowadays, my meals consist of Campbell's Chunky and boxed Yoo-Hoos. Occasionally, I'll dabble in the frozen food aisle at Wegmans, but the dining hall trumps all.
I miss seeing numerous people during lunchtime. On any given day, I would see 10-15 people I knew. Do you realize how good that is for a person's self-esteem? I felt loved and popular when I went to lunch. Now, I stare at the front of the microwave, hoping I won't burn my Chicken Fiesta Lean Pocket, sitting in complete silence.
I miss the small things, like waiting in line nearly 15 minutes for a bowl of fresh pasta. Or hoping and praying for a buttermilk chicken sandwich day, knowing it would never come. Or getting to late night at 11:59 after a long night of studying. These are only a few of the small things off-campus life can not live up to.
I even miss the friendly workers in the dining hall. The workers in the front, always waiting eagerly to swipe my card. The workers behind the counter, always excited to fulfill my hunger. It brings a tear to my eye.
Thinking back on my years of dining hall experience, I took it for granted. Sure, there was always a plentiful garden of meals just a short walk away. Sure, I paid a lot of money for my meal plan every semester. But can you put a price on happiness? I think not.
dcm00494@sjfc.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
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posted 1/10/10 @ 1:27 PM EST
This article is so touching.
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posted 3/20/10 @ 9:33 AM EST
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