Clemson consistently ranks highly in most categories such as academics, sports, safety and campus life. However, there’s one category where we are often lacking: dining. It is well known across campus that our dining hall options are not very good. In fact, my parents were a little surprised when I decided to go to Clemson when we all knew that Georgia and many other southern universities have way better food. Unfortunately, Clemson’s on-campus students don’t have an option. A meal plan is required for first year students, and being as expensive as it is, there’s no point in wasting your money by choosing not to eat in the dining halls. So, here we all are, eating three meals a day, seven days a week of the same mundane, painfully predictable meals.

Despite the food being only tolerable most of the time, there are some benefits to having a meal plan, especially as a freshman. The basic freshman meal plan comes with an unlimited number of swipes into the dining halls on campus (Douthit excluded). This is super helpful because it allows you to eat as much as you want, as often as you want. There have been numerous times when I have swiped into the dining hall just to get a cup of water or a banana while running to and from class. It is nice to not have to constantly worry about when I have time to eat and if the dining hall will even have enough food available to satisfy me during the times when I am free to drop in. I am comforted knowing that I can always leave and come back in hopes of being slightly less disappointed than I was before. Despite the agonizing frustration I feel when none of the dining hall food looks appetizing, it is a huge timesaver. It is such a relief not having to worry about going to the grocery store or finding the time to cook and prepare meals. Even though the food is not quite like what your mother cooks, dining on campus is still a fast, convenient option for everyone, and for me, it’s worth the disappointment.