Friday, August 24, 2012

Deciding What To Eat

It’s halfway through the spring semester, and I’ve got my weekly routine down. I work at a hip nightclub and meet with friends on the weekends; Monday through Thursday I focus on my fulltime classes.

As an upper-level student, I have intense reading and writing classes which require time, energy and devotion. Distractions must be eliminated – and that includes worrying about whether or not I am nourishing my body as well as I should be. Forgetting about what’s “hot” in the magazines, I’ve memorized the course syllabuses, figured out the best places to park my car at the busiest hours of the day, and learned exactly what certain professors are really looking for in their best students.

Between-Class Meals

But perhaps the most important part of my day is also the easiest: deciding what to eat in between classes. Like most college campuses, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) offers a wide variety of dining options. Many students opt for the popular brand-name spots such as Taco Bell, Subway, and Einstein Brothers Bagels. At lunchtime, students can expect to wait in long lines for their familiar on-the-go meals. However, for only a few bucks more than a Subway salad, I can go into the Perch all-you-can-eat dining facility and enjoy a buffet-style lunch with options from the organic salad bar to the pizza station to the dessert table.

I typically have an hour or two between classes, so returning home would be ridiculous for me and the thousands of other commuters attending FGCU. It’s a great time to get some last-minute studying done, while powering up with some delicious brain food. 

I have been eating at The Perch on a weekly, if not daily, basis and I’ve learned the ins and outs and ways to personalize it to my liking. The first thing I’ve noticed is the small bowls placed on the salad bar. I like a big, colorful salad for lunch so I bolt over to the hot foods station for a plate and fill that instead.

Belly Up To The Bar

You should check out what’s available at your school, as many campuses are going “green” or organic, and many offer soy products as well. I fill my plate with spinach, lots of crisp veggies, and a light dressing. All that salad fills me up without weighing me down... and I’ve honestly begun really looking forward to my lunch! I almost always add a side of cottage cheese, and half a turkey-on-wheat sandwich for protein. Sometimes I change it up by topping my salad with eggs or nuts and beans.

I give this healthy, satisfying lunch an A+! Salad bar offerings that receive a failing grade: cheese, bacon bits, and thick dressings. It’s easy to get carried away when offered so many options at a dining hall. Students often gain the infamous “Freshman 15” quite easily when they bypass the salad bar for greasy pizzas, homestyle meats and heavy gravies, or generous portions of desserts. These options can quickly add up to the "Sophomore 30" if students aren't careful!

A better decision at lunch can set you up for healthier choices all day long and even aid in the ability to focus and concentrate on schoolwork. And that’s what we are all in college
for, right? ;o)

Erin Johnson is a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. She is writing a blog for Diet.com while trying to survive college by balancing class work, family life, a social life, and of course... eating right on a college budget!

0 comments:

Post a Comment