One of the most meaningful relationships you’ll have at Notre Dame is not the one you form with your dormmates or your teammates or your classmates. No. One of the most important and consistent relationships you have will be that with your chosen dining hall. Like any relationship, things aren’t always easy. Here are the stages of your epic romance with the crown jewel of food services.Â
Stage 1: Infatuation (Lasts: Approx. 2 weeks)
When you first meet, like all new relationships, you feel like you’re learning new things all the time. Everything is shiny and fresh. You’re in awe of the options and the freedom. Ice cream at every meal?! You’re in love. You find it hard to keep yourself down to only 14 swipes a week. You consider uprgrading your meal plan because so you can spend three meals a day at this Mecca of meal time. Making choices for meal times seems impossible. You’re overwhelmed. It’s amazing.
Stage 2: Getting to Know Each Other (Lasts: Anywhere from a week to two months)
As the weeks pass, you come to find a routine. You’ve chosen your side in the North vs. South debate. (*cough* North Fo Lyfe *cough*) You’ve made few mistakes. Like standing in the stirfry line right before a meeting. Or taking someone’s personal pizza. But you’re still pretty blissed out. The fresh baked cookies are your everything. And you spend most of your 8:20 thinking about what you’re going to put in your omelette.Â
Stage 3: Trouble In Paradise (Lasts: Through Christmas Break)
There comes a time, oddly enough coinciding with the first days of winter, where the shine of the beloved dining hall starts to fade. You’ve discovered the allure of Flex Points – a hot food option that let’s you have whatever you want, whenever (as long as it comes from LaFun, Einstein’s, ABP, or Reckers). You find that you have less time than you thought to spend in the DH and that running through Starbucks is way easier than waking up early to get cereal and fruit.Â
Stage 4: Looks Like The End (Lasts: Through February)
You have a friend with a car who takes you to the store and you rediscover the joy of fresh fruit and homemade food (Easy Mac totally counts). Your Flex Points are keeping you steadily supplied with overpriced ABP sandwiches and Einstein’s smoothies. And who cares?! It’s not real money! Meanwhile, all of the food at the DH is starting to taste the same. You really only go to socialize. And the noise, the lack of choice, and the fact that they NEVER seem to have Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream is really ruining things for you.
Stage 5: The Comeback (Lasts: Until Summer Break)
A special theme day can reignite your flame with the DH. Easter Feast reminds you the glory of what the DH can be. Your Flex Points balance is dwindling. Though you love yourself some midnight Reckers runs and an occasional Chipotle run, nothing tastes better than free food.Â
Stage 6: Committment (Lasts: Until graduation)
Until you move off campus, the dining hall will be a part of your life. And if you move off, the grown-up responsibility of buying and making every meal might even make you miss it. You have come to love the dining hall for what it is – a constant. And while it may not be perfect, it’s always there for you. Except after 7:30 on weekends.Â
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