It Could Be Worse
Peter Travis
Issue date: 3/5/10 Section: Opinions
Frequently when eating meals in the Campus Center, I am amazed at how many complaints I hear about the food here at Rollins. I admit that at times the rotating menus can seem monotonous and get a little stale for my taste buds; however, we have to evaluate our on-campus food options with more of a big picture perspective. Personally, I have made several trips to other college campuses to visit friends, and I often find that Rollins' food is much better than that of other schools. Overall, Rollins students need to realize that we have great dining options for the small size of our school.
Some of my personal favorites on the Rollins menu are the daily specials. At lunchtime, I am always satisfied with the option of a sizzling salad (the buffalo chicken being my favorite, of course). The recent addition of the vegan cuisine station provides a great option for vegetarians and vegans on campus. The Mediterranean wrap is a great way to get my weekly hummus fix. And you cannot forget about the make-your-own pizza station that pops up every Friday. Although it does take a bit longer than everything else, it is worth the time if you are craving a certain topping combination that might not be offered normally. Of course, the deli station is always a safe bet if you want a tasty panini.
I find breakfast at Rollins to be one of my favorite meals of the day. The Campus Center covers all the basics of whatever balanced breakfast one would favor. I personally enjoy a bacon, bagel, and fruit combination when I decide to go to the Campus Center in the morning. If you are not in the mood for the Campus Center's breakfast spread, you can always go to CSS or Dianne's and pick up the famous breakfast croissant. I have not found breakfast sandwiches like these on any other college campus, and they remain my absolute favorite food item served at Rollins.
Regardless of these good dining options on campus, I will admit that there are some improvements that Dining Services could make. I certainly think that there need to be more options at dinner. While there is always plenty to choose from at lunch, dinner at the campus center is fairly sparse and gets repetitive fast. One specific cooking improvement could be made in the vegetable department. I always find my vegetables at dinner time to be either under- or overcooked, bland and simply not flavorful. Also, the fact that the campus center closes early on Friday nights is a bit annoying.
All in all, I think most students on campus do not appreciate the dining options they have here at Rollins. My advice would be to visit some friends at other small schools around the country and see if you are not wishing you were back at Rollins holding a hot, delicious, flaky breakfast croissant in your hands.
Some of my personal favorites on the Rollins menu are the daily specials. At lunchtime, I am always satisfied with the option of a sizzling salad (the buffalo chicken being my favorite, of course). The recent addition of the vegan cuisine station provides a great option for vegetarians and vegans on campus. The Mediterranean wrap is a great way to get my weekly hummus fix. And you cannot forget about the make-your-own pizza station that pops up every Friday. Although it does take a bit longer than everything else, it is worth the time if you are craving a certain topping combination that might not be offered normally. Of course, the deli station is always a safe bet if you want a tasty panini.
I find breakfast at Rollins to be one of my favorite meals of the day. The Campus Center covers all the basics of whatever balanced breakfast one would favor. I personally enjoy a bacon, bagel, and fruit combination when I decide to go to the Campus Center in the morning. If you are not in the mood for the Campus Center's breakfast spread, you can always go to CSS or Dianne's and pick up the famous breakfast croissant. I have not found breakfast sandwiches like these on any other college campus, and they remain my absolute favorite food item served at Rollins.
Regardless of these good dining options on campus, I will admit that there are some improvements that Dining Services could make. I certainly think that there need to be more options at dinner. While there is always plenty to choose from at lunch, dinner at the campus center is fairly sparse and gets repetitive fast. One specific cooking improvement could be made in the vegetable department. I always find my vegetables at dinner time to be either under- or overcooked, bland and simply not flavorful. Also, the fact that the campus center closes early on Friday nights is a bit annoying.
All in all, I think most students on campus do not appreciate the dining options they have here at Rollins. My advice would be to visit some friends at other small schools around the country and see if you are not wishing you were back at Rollins holding a hot, delicious, flaky breakfast croissant in your hands.
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