Chaos of college life and learning time management causes students at California State University, Stanislaus to skip a meal or two in favor of a granola bar or quick bag of chips.
This is the recipe that leaves many in class with a gurgling belly, trying to focus on what the professor is saying. Finally, a thirty minute break to get something substantial that you won’t regret later.
But it’s 2:05 p.m. 2:35 p.m. and Main Dining is officially closed.
Though 2 p.m 2:30 p.m. is the average “late lunch” at many eating establishments, newcomers to CSU Stanislaus have realized by now that the options for an approved lunch at this hour are slim.
There should be more than one source for a decent meal for the average meal times CSU Stanislaus operates: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Warrior Grill offers burgers and fries, with a few Out Takes options. One takes time and is heavy on the grease, the other disappears quickly and still necessitates a long line.
“We are doing what we can,” said Chartwells General Manager Scott Smith, who oversees campus dining options, such as Main Dining in the cafeteria and the food cart in Mary Stuart Rogers (MSR).
“If you notice, the line does move kind of fast, so it’s like a concession stand,” Smith said.
“It gets a little crowded, and there’s only two spots for cashiers. We’re trying to get both those spots filled.”
Meanwhile, 15 minutes until class, you’re starving and you’re stuck.
Or so you thought.
“Pop’s has some quick service, some jerky [and] some protein options,” Smith said.
“Honestly, you’re going to get some healthier options, too, as far as that goes. There’s rarely a line at Pop’s.”
Pop’s is the small corner mart tucked behind Warrior Grill, little known, and perfect for a quick bite, open as late as the latest class on campus.
Going to Pop’s for the first time I saw all the snacks, beverages and small meals I could want. I waited less than five minutes to purchase my juice and trail mix, and wondered where this place had been all my life.
But the story is back to the quick bite instead of the meal, begging the question: why does Main Dining have to close so early in the school day?
Pop’s is great, but a book in one hand and a Snickers in the other does not make a balanced meal.
“It basically gets busy these first two weeks [of the semester]. What happens is, by contract, I have to state my hours at the beginning of the year,” Smith said, clarifying that when Main Dining operated as late as the Grill, sales weren’t high enough to continue keeping both open.
So it was my own peers that pulled the plug on late night tacos and subs. As a student living in the current economy, even I can’t blame the school for minimizing options if interest wasn’t there.
“We met with the school, and we determined that it’s just not smart business to be open in Main Dining that whole time,” Smith said.
Now the responsibility falls to the Warriors. If we want later hours, we have to push for them, by making it known that keeping the Main Dining Hall open for a few extra hours would be a benefit, not a waste.
Until then, Pop’s will see a lot more of me while I continue to balance time management with proper eating habits.
Editor Corrections: Main Dining hours were misrepresented in the article and have been corrected. Main Dining is open Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.