Now that everyone has hit their stride in their academics, it’s time to figure out social life and campus! So, as an upperclassman, I wanted to give you guys who are new to campus some tips and tricks for navigating the dining halls!
Know what dining halls we have!
CU has really great websites to tell you all about the dining halls on campus and where they’re located. (CU’s dining hall website)
That being said, some of my favorites are:
1. WeatherTech Café (takes munch money, or campus cash, or real money)
- Great sandwiches
- Even better pizza and calzones
2. UMC (depends on what you get, but they take munch money, campus cash, meal swipes, or real money!)
- Absolutely fantastic salad bar!!!
3. Williams Village Dining Complex (literally takes any and all types of payment depending on where you go)
- Own version of the WeatherTech Café, but with a million more options
- Breakfast all day
- More food options that resemble home-cooked meals
How do you get a panini or quesadilla in the C4C?
This one was inspired by my adorable roommate when she didn’t realize that panini makers are hidden in the corner of the salad section. NOTE: make sure you spray the panini press or you’ll be really sad when your meal gets stuck to the machine and falls apart.
So…. if you want a quesadilla, order one from the Mexican food station and head over to the panini press. I usually wait about one minute for everything to get nice and melty!
For paninis, I usually go about two minutes, but the level of “toasty” is entirely up to you!
To sneak food out or to not sneak food out?
Honestly, this one is a tough one. I tried to sneak food out my freshman year, and, while it worked, it was not yummy reheated. If you’re someone who thinks the hassle is worth more than having semi-gross leftovers, leave the food in the dining hall and just come back when you’re hungry again!
That being said, their green tea ice cream is AMAZING, and I 100% support taking some back with you for a movie night.
Food portioning and dealing with so much, yet so little variety…
One thing that the dining halls struggle with is food waste. Everyone does it so don’t beat yourself up over it, but try to not be wasteful! You can always go back for seconds if you want, but you don’t want to eat so much you’re making yourself sick every meal!
Here are some sources to help you with portioning if anyone wants to take a look!
Relax, there will be time to try everything, trust me! I hope you all can find these tricks helpful, and find lots of creative meals to make with all the options we have!