When it comes to feeding yourself in college, the struggle is real. From not having enough time to prepare any sort of meal, no access to a kitchen other than your communal dorm one that probably has something growing in the sink, to being endlessly broke and just trying to afford ramen noodles, there are a lot of barriers in the way of culinary perfection.
That’s why dining hall meal plans are godsent, especially for a freshman. But after a while, eating the same boring pizza can be exhausting. Sure, they claim to offer a wide variety of healthy options to change up your routine but let’s be honest, their offerings are mediocre at best.
Unless you go to some fantasy university, you probably have a strong love-hate (or hate-hate) relationship with your dining hall. It’s convenient, but sometimes all you need to get you through a long night of studying at the library is a delicious take out order from your favorite local restaurant.
And if you’re going to spend the money, you might as well go all out. You can get Traditional American food in your dining hall every day, but with take out you can get any international cuisine you can dream of.
There’s a specific mood for each of the different international cuisines. Of course, your offerings are limited by the local international restaurant options in your city, but with so many different flavors and cultures to try, the choices are endless.
Italian and Mexican cuisines seem to be the most searched for cuisines across the nation. When you’re trying to get through that 10-page paper that you didn’t start until now, approximately 12 hours before it’s due, Italian is the best option. A filling bowl of your favorite pasta may be just what you need to boost your motivation and get it done.
When studying for the impossible exam that you know you’re probably screwed for and there’s nothing you can do about it, Mexican is the way to go. Cope with the struggles over a burrito bowl and guacamole, you’ll thank me later.
If the dreaded group project is on your to-do list, grab some sushi to power through. With so many options and flavors, sushi definitely makes dealing with your incompetent classmates slightly more bearable. Plus, you can use the sushi as a peace offering for your group members to bribe them to get their part of the project done.
Chinese food is the perfect option if you’re in a rush. On those days where you can’t seem to find time to go home between courses and extracurriculars until past midnight, Chinese is the perfect grab and go option to keep you fueled all day long.
You may be trying to save money, but honestly, we’re all just trying to survive. You can save up money when you’ve graduated, working full time, and getting an adequate amount of sleep every night. Treat yourself, because writing a research paper is much less miserable with a big bowl of pasta next to you to get you through it.