Sometimes I think I spend more time at school than I do at home. Of course, I need to eat. There are plenty of places on campus to satisfy that need. Some do it better than others. More after the break.
Food and Beverages:
Market Square: This is the main cafeteria. For lunch and dinner, the food is decent, but it’s ridiculously overpriced. (One can easily drop $10 on dinner.) Breakfast is great, though. The cafeteria opens at 7:00 am. The undergrads are allergic to such early hours, so it’s a nice quiet place to eat and study first thing in the morning. (The undergrad library doesn’t open until 7:30, and the law library doesn’t open until 8.) The food for breakfast is tasty and inexpensive. I can get a meal that keeps me full until early to mid afternoon for about $4. My only complaint is that the cashier is really grumpy. She’s rude to people who hand her their student ID cards in any manner except for the specific way she likes it. (The guy in front of me this morning had his ID card on a lanyard on his keychain. She gave him a lecture.) She dislikes it when anyone uses the non-resident dining account on the ID card. (There are three possible accounts on each ID card. Resident dining, non-resident dining, and flex. Flex works like a debit card.) And, heaven forbid if someone wants to pay with cash or credit card. I got an earful once when I forgot my student ID card and had to use my Mastercard. (She was even more annoyed than she usually is when I use the non-resident dining plan on my student ID card.) I don’t know what her deal is. Maybe I should complain to her supervisor.
Mission Bakery: This is the coffee shop in Benson. The selection isn’t that great, and the prices are absurd. (I once spent $7 for a sandwich and a bottle of water, and it wasn’t even a very good sandwich.) The frozen yogurt is good, though, as is the hot cocoa. It’s the only place on campus open when the undergrads aren’t in session. This is helpful because the law school is on a different schedule, and the first six weeks of the fall semester are before the undergrads start up.
Sunstream Cafe: This is the cafe in the lobby of the undergrad library. It’s open late, which is nice. There’s not a lot of selection, but the hot cocoa is the best I’ve ever found.
Cadence Cyber Cafe: This is the cafe in the lobby of Lucas Hall, the business school. The fruit lemonade is amazing, and the sandwiches are good, too. The prices are reasonable. (I can get a sandwich for about $3.50 or a breakfast burrito for about $2.75.)
Cellar Market: This is the convenience store in the basement of Benson. It’s a nice place for snacks, and there are some grocery-type items as well. I don’t go there often, but if I have a craving for vegan miso ramen, this is the place to get it.
Bannan Hall Vending Machines: Not a great place to get a meal, but in a pinch, the vending machines work for emergency sustenance. There’s a healthy machine and a junk food machine, in addition to a coffee/hot cocoa machine, a soda machine, and a juice/water machine. (And a change machine, too, since the machines don’t take dollar bills.)
Bannan Hall Microwaves: There are two microwaves in the lounge in Bannan hall. This is the best place for food. I can bring meals from home and heat them up, or I can heat up purchases from the Cellar Market. I usually bring leftovers and heat them up. This has the advantage of being cheap, and also the advantage of being conveniently located near all of my classes.
Lunchtime Meetings/Lectures, and Bake Sales: No discussion of food on campus would be complete without mentioning these two sources of food. The lunchtime meetings for clubs, or the lectures sponsored by the career services department often include food in order to induce people to attend. Pizza and Quizno’s are the two most common varieties. Leftovers are put in the Bannan Lounge for the vultures to pick over. Bake Sales happen on average once a week. They’re raising money for any number of worthy causes. While it’s not the cheapest way to get baked goods, it has the advantage of that warm-fuzzy feeling that comes with doing something charitable.
Water:
That wonderful liquid composed of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen deserves its own section. It’s essential to life. Also, it has no calories, and nothing beats a tall glass of cold water on a hot day.
Cafes and Cellar Market: Bottled water can be purchased at any of these locations. It varies in temperature and price, but it’s usually between $1.50 and $2. This can add up rather quickly, but it works in a pinch.
Bannan Vending Machines: The water is cold here, but it also has the drawback of costing money. Water is only $1.25, so it’s a better deal than the alternatives.
Market Square: There are water coolers here, but they’re usually empty. If you’re really nice to the cashiers, you’ll be able to fill up for free with water from the soda machine. It’s cold, filtered, and tastes great. I have an aluminum reusable water bottle with a carabiner to hook to the outside of my bag. The only drawback is that it’s a bit inconvenient to get to during the day.
Bannan Hall: On the third floor of Bannan, there’s a water bottle filling attachment on one of the drinking fountains. The water is a bit cloudy and tastes kind of weird, but it’s free and it works for the most part. Since my classes are in Bannan, this used to be my preferred option.
Lucas Hall: I just discovered that there is a water bottle filling attachment on the drinking fountain in Lucas Hall as well. I like to study in the lounge there anyway, since it’s quiet and the chairs are comfortable. I filled my water bottle today, and the water is clear, filtered, cold, and delicious. I’ve found my new favorite watering hole.
Undergraduate Library: There’s a drinking fountain attachment in the undergraduate library, next to the cafe, but I haven’t tried it, so I can’t vouch for the water quality. (I’m skeptical, though. It’s right outside the restroom, and there are signs in the restroom advertising that they’re supplied with reclaimed water.)
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