Sundays are “the Holy days.” The day of rest and relaxation. A time to treat yourself and recover for the new week ahead. It also happens to be the best dinner at our beautiful Hampshire Dining Common in Southwest. As a UMass student, there is nothing better than the experience of abusing your dining hall swipes and eating as much as you can so nothing goes to waste. With so many dining hall options on campus, it can seem difficult to choose which one to go to. However, there is no debate when it comes to Sunday dinners. No second thoughts. No doubts. It is our tradition, and it is sacred. You may be wondering why we have so much love for this specific time and place, and I can’t wait to tell you.
Sunday scaries are so real, and something that can be difficult to overcome. Being consumed with the anxiety of all the work you didn’t do over the weekend and the impending doom of having to actually go to your classes is something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. How can we combat this difficult and tragic phenomenon? The answer to this is distraction. Why not continue to put off all the work you have to do and do other fun things instead, like hanging out with your friends and going to a dining hall? Now, I will say that this endeavor can sometimes be difficult. If you find that Hamp is particularly busy, you might want to give up and get food somewhere else. This is where the weak are weeded out. Never give up on looking for a table and be aggressive. Only the strong will benefit from this tactic. Once a table is found, then you’re in business.
Now, this is what you can expect from a Sunday at Hamp: pho, waffle fries with pulled pork and the toppings of your choosing, and the biggest and best thing ever — a teriyaki chicken roll. This all may sound underwhelming, but being in college and having to cook for yourself or eat at the dining hall leaves much to be desired in terms of flavor and nutrition. In all honesty, the food from Hamp Sundays just hits so differently than anything I’ve ever experienced. The Pho erases any of the bad things from the weekend and revives me for the week ahead. The ease of Hamp being built as a circle makes it easy to see all of your options. Sometimes they even have strawberry froyo — it doesn’t get better than that. As a senior, having a reason to go back to the dining hall also reminds me of my younger years, back in the day when Hamp was just a hop and a skip away. Nostalgia and the need to eat are two very powerful motivators.
I can’t recommend Hamp Sunday enough, but also don’t go if it’s too busy. I don’t want to influence anyone too much and have them never be able to find a table.
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