It’s the joke everyone tells on tours, at orientation, and around the end of the semester: “Just make friends with a freshman or sophomore girl, then you can use her meal plan.”
You hear them giggle about having “like $1200” left on their meal plans come May. “Whatever will I do with so much money left?!” she ponders during classes. Mac and Lower are filled with these meal plan luxurians. Smart Waters, bags of chips, packages of Chewy bars… over-flowing from their basket-armed grips, “might as well stock up since I have money left!” She smiles sweetly at the boy eyeing her in line.
Yeah, that girl? She was never me.
Well, freshman year I just made it. I remember buying a slice of pizza before hopping in the car to drive 12 hours home and seeing the beautiful “$0.73” pop up on the screen. Sigh. Of. Relief.
Sophomore year and junior year (I live in 90), however, I wasn’t so lucky. In fact, I got lecture upon lecture from my parents after each semester, “We spend $2,300 on your meal plan, and you STILL run out!?”
Yeah, I’m that girl.
This year, when I ran out before Thanksgiving, I plotted telling my parents right before shutting the car door and running into the airport. It worked perfectly.
I don’t know how I do it, really. I said adios to my Diet Coke, OJ, and lattes, and greeted my tall glass of iced water with every meal. I stopped buying bags of chips for my 8-man. I’m not a Late Night goer… I still run out.
I did try really hard this semester, I swear, and I must say, my mother was pleased that I made it all the way to April 22. She just sighed and said, “What, you have a few weeks left? Well, you gotta’ eat.” By this point, the lectures have ceased. They expect it. Eagle bucks, what’s up. Nice to see you again.
I always feel bad when I’m with my off-campus and senior friends who don’t have meal plans. They look to me, dweller-of-90, as their ticket to a free dinner at Lower, as most meal plan holders are able to give to their loved ones. Sorry, my friends, I’m not like most girls. I am unable to do you this favor, however much I wish I could. Alas, I’ve never had the luxury of having to buy Smart Water. In fact, I’ve never bought a Smart Water in my life.
It boggles my mind, actually, that girls can have so much left over. I just don’t understand. I get eggs and fruit for breakfast, some granola and yogurt for lunch, a Cliff bar snack (vending bucks!), my Addie’s dinner, and a snack around 8 PM. Is this really so much?!
Apparently.
So hey, you girls out there unsure where to spend your meal plan? You’re looking at her. Find me in the dining halls. I’m in Lower MWF at 8 AM and Hillside T/Th at 8 AM. For lunch I’m all over the place, but dinner you’re sure to find me at Addie’s, 6 PM Sunday, MTWF, and 8 PM on Thursday. Yes, my life really is that scheduled.
Oh, shoot… wait, this is embarrassing… you thought I was kidding.