Recently, I attended a half an hour commuter cooking tip session at Drexel University, which made me realize how limited dining options are at campus. It was organized by Drexel’s commuter student’s organization and took place in the basement of Creese Center. The event’s main purpose was to teach students how to efficiently prepare three or more dishes out of grilled chicken in order to save money from eating outside as well as time. The session did not intend to turn students into chefs. Although these tips might be helpful to others that are new to cooking, they were basic to me. The Drexel Catering Representative showed us how to make chicken ceaser salad, chicken salad, and pesto pasta with chicken. I believe every person with minimum cooking skills can prepare these meals without the need of a book. The audience in the room was much smaller than I expected and I was unsure if this was due to insufficient advertising or the fact that students at Drexel do not have the time or opportunity to cook. The other twenty students in the room with me did not look like people who needed cooking or shopping advice. Frankly, from the answers heard I suspected that the free lunch was the only reason attracted them to the event. At first I was a little curious why so more people would not go to an event that offers free lunch. You would think that a free lunch is an advertisement that automatically attracts students, but then I realized that all freshman students already have prepaid all their lunches with the golden meal plan for a year ahead.
The school is worried about the stress level of their freshman students and wants to make sure that all students have a healthy meal three times a day. Because Drexel believes that “dining on campus play an important role in fostering a sense of community,” the school requires all freshman students living on campus to enroll in the golden meal plan and be able to visit the Handshumacher Dining Center, also called the cafeteria, as many times a week as they want. I was amazed when I found out from other students that they are actually obligated to purchase the plan if living on campus, which is also mandatory for the first three quarters unless you are a commuter who lives with your parents. I felt like the school has limited students living and dining possibilities and obligated students to spend money they could have had possibly saved. It is true that if one visits the dining center three times a day, seven days a week one meal would cost only five dollars and twenty cents. This is relatively cheap, but also equal to the price of a meal and drink purchased from any of the carts on campus. Let’s be realistic for a second! How often is a student able to visit the cafeteria? As a student, I cannot believe that other students would get up in the morning and go to the cafeteria for breakfast. I am extremely skeptical about Saturday and Sunday mornings in particular. I also know that students enjoy going out and eating in the city if they can afford it. Although I have no meal plan I was curious to check out the food at the Handshumacher Center and I visited it a couple of times myself. I did not need a lot of time to realize that the food choices are very limited, especially if you are a vegetarian or have some other food restrictions. At my first visit I was able to create my salad only to find out that they are out on dressing. About ten minutes later I found out that the lettuce is not fresh as well. A little disappointed, I thought that I could at least enjoy my Chinese meal that looked very appetizing, yet unfortunately tasted exactly the opposite. There is one thing tough that I do recommend at the cafeteria- peach yogurt ice-cream. I swear it its divine! After my second visit at the place I was convinced that it is lacking variety; the food is unhealthy, lacks taste and the ice-cream machine is not working quite often.
Then I heard other students talking about the “freshman fifteen rule”, which states that the average student gains fifteen pounds during freshman year, because of unhealthy food. Is the school interfering with students’ personal freedom by providing food that they might have not chosen if they had the right to dine wherever they want? Is the school responsible for college students’ obesity, because of providing unhealthy food? These are questions that, I am sure, concern some other students as well. It is true that the school has not restricted anybody to go and eat anywhere else, but why spend extra money if you have already prepaid for food a year in advance.
Drexel’s on campus dining opportunities are very limited compared to other schools in the area. University of Pennsylvania, a school in the neighborhood, has a lot more to offer in regards to dining places. Drexel’s students often leave their campus and prefer to experience dining services at foreign campuses. This contradicts with Drexel’s goal for “building a community”. I have heard from Temple students that they can use their Diamond Dollars, which is equivalent to the Dragon card, anywhere on campus, including the carts on the streets. This, as Drexel students are aware, is not possible on our campus.
I am so lucky for being a commuter and having the personal right to pick the food and the place I eat every day. As a business major I only wish there was a little more competition in dining centers so prices would get lower and the quality of food would improve.
The school is worried about the stress level of their freshman students and wants to make sure that all students have a healthy meal three times a day. Because Drexel believes that “dining on campus play an important role in fostering a sense of community,” the school requires all freshman students living on campus to enroll in the golden meal plan and be able to visit the Handshumacher Dining Center, also called the cafeteria, as many times a week as they want. I was amazed when I found out from other students that they are actually obligated to purchase the plan if living on campus, which is also mandatory for the first three quarters unless you are a commuter who lives with your parents. I felt like the school has limited students living and dining possibilities and obligated students to spend money they could have had possibly saved. It is true that if one visits the dining center three times a day, seven days a week one meal would cost only five dollars and twenty cents. This is relatively cheap, but also equal to the price of a meal and drink purchased from any of the carts on campus. Let’s be realistic for a second! How often is a student able to visit the cafeteria? As a student, I cannot believe that other students would get up in the morning and go to the cafeteria for breakfast. I am extremely skeptical about Saturday and Sunday mornings in particular. I also know that students enjoy going out and eating in the city if they can afford it. Although I have no meal plan I was curious to check out the food at the Handshumacher Center and I visited it a couple of times myself. I did not need a lot of time to realize that the food choices are very limited, especially if you are a vegetarian or have some other food restrictions. At my first visit I was able to create my salad only to find out that they are out on dressing. About ten minutes later I found out that the lettuce is not fresh as well. A little disappointed, I thought that I could at least enjoy my Chinese meal that looked very appetizing, yet unfortunately tasted exactly the opposite. There is one thing tough that I do recommend at the cafeteria- peach yogurt ice-cream. I swear it its divine! After my second visit at the place I was convinced that it is lacking variety; the food is unhealthy, lacks taste and the ice-cream machine is not working quite often.
Then I heard other students talking about the “freshman fifteen rule”, which states that the average student gains fifteen pounds during freshman year, because of unhealthy food. Is the school interfering with students’ personal freedom by providing food that they might have not chosen if they had the right to dine wherever they want? Is the school responsible for college students’ obesity, because of providing unhealthy food? These are questions that, I am sure, concern some other students as well. It is true that the school has not restricted anybody to go and eat anywhere else, but why spend extra money if you have already prepaid for food a year in advance.
Drexel’s on campus dining opportunities are very limited compared to other schools in the area. University of Pennsylvania, a school in the neighborhood, has a lot more to offer in regards to dining places. Drexel’s students often leave their campus and prefer to experience dining services at foreign campuses. This contradicts with Drexel’s goal for “building a community”. I have heard from Temple students that they can use their Diamond Dollars, which is equivalent to the Dragon card, anywhere on campus, including the carts on the streets. This, as Drexel students are aware, is not possible on our campus.
I am so lucky for being a commuter and having the personal right to pick the food and the place I eat every day. As a business major I only wish there was a little more competition in dining centers so prices would get lower and the quality of food would improve.
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