When I checked Lakeside Dining’s menu the week before spring break, I somehow missed the tiny detail that the dining hall was shutting down for the entire break. Usually, I stock up on food even when Lakeside stays open, but this time an even greater haul seemed vital.
On the Thursday before the break, I rechecked the menu and discovered that almost every dining location was closing. As someone who likes to be prepared, I knew what had to be done. Thursday and Friday were about to be exhausting, as the food heist was officially underway.
To commence the heist, I needed six to-go boxes, serious arm strength to carry an absurd amount of food, the mobile ordering app and the confidence to pull it off. Since Thursday was my day off from classes, I went to the Robert E. Witt Center for a workout, because if I was about to carry multiple bags of food across campus, I needed to be in top shape. Afterwards, I headed straight to Lakeside.
I managed to gather an impressive haul of bread slices, burgers, potatoes, hamburger buns and desserts. I had been at Lakeside for a while at this point, but thankfully, I also decided to swing by Sola, which I had no clue was also closing the next day. My mission, however, was far from over. Next stop: Fresh Foods.
My findings were just cheese slices and mayonnaise. Not my greatest loot, but the heist was still going strong. To wrap up the day, I made a strategic stop at Subway to claim my VIP meal, and I stashed away a sandwich along with the obligatory chips and cookies.
After a much-needed break, I returned to Lakeside and Sola for dinner. Having secured even more provisions, I finally called it a night and went to bed, my heart full of anticipation for Friday’s breakfast run.
Something to note: I’m not a breakfast person. But even I know that dining hall breakfasts are worth the trip. Friday was unfortunately an exception, but I still managed to grab more potatoes — one can never have too many of them — some banana muffins and, of course, more bread.
After class got out at 2:00 pm, I realized Subway was closing at 2:30 p.m. That left me with one choice: to run to Subway as fast as I could. I made it just in time. After that, I crashed for a bit before gearing up for the final phase of the heist: Friday evening at Lakeside and Dunkin.
There was only one thing I needed from Lakeside: dinner rolls. I love dinner rolls almost as much as potatoes and mayonnaise, so I stuffed my to-go boxes with them and left with a deep sense of satisfaction. I then hit Dunkin and secured two sandwiches, finally feeling like I was fully prepared for the next eight days.
My goal was simple — spend $0 on food during the break — and I accomplished that mission. While Thursday and Friday left me utterly drained, my stocked-up fridge made it all worth it. My thoughtful roommates even let me use whatever they had left behind, so I never had to worry about running out of food.
Of course, my situation wasn’t the reality for many students staying on campus. With no prior notice that all dining locations were closing, a lot of people were left scrambling to figure out meals. While I’m incredibly happy the dining staff got a well-earned break, students should have been informed via email at least a week beforehand.
Being able to gather enough food for nine days is difficult in itself, but not having proper information on time adds to the difficulty. Although there weren’t many residents on campus over the break, the students who did choose to stay back had to face obstacles because of this closure.
That being said, I had a fantastic break food-wise. I felt financially responsible for spending no money on groceries, and I got to enjoy all the usual dining hall food without setting foot in a dining hall. Sure, fresh food is better, but something about stale dining hall leftovers just adds character to the ultimate college experience.
