Okay, so we all have our opinions of the cafeteria. There is no pretending here really; everyone figures out by the end of the first week that the food can leave, well, more to be desired.  Sometimes the cafeteria pulls off a quality option, but most times you’re left “eating a plate of your own tears for dinner because everything else makes you want to cry.”

Thank you, dearest Shanna for never leaving me to wonder what you really think.

And while you may feel that eating your own tears is a little extreme, I think everyone can agree that, truthfully, our favorite meal “is going to Chick-Fil-A.” That wonderful place of chicken and waffle fries is a Cairn student’s saving grace.

But with all that said, you are paying for a year’s worth of cafeteria food. Unless you have an endless wallet, you will need to learn how to cope with the food that is offered on campus. After talking to a bunch of upperclassmen, I have created this guide of tips and tricks to survive the year.

The overwhelming response is that the waffle iron is the tool for success. This iron should hardly even be regarded as a “waffle” iron, because its versatility allows for so many other creations (I mean really, is there a point to making waffles if they can’t be chocolate chip?)

You can make a Quesadilla!

1. Grab a Tortilla from the deli
2. Take chicken from the ever-present rotisserie
3. Add burrito type of fillers such as corn, beans, salsa (whatever is available)
4. Toast in waffle iron

You can also (kind of) make a Panini

1. Make sandwich in the deli line (just meat and cheese)
2. Toast in waffle iron
3. Add toppings such as lettuce afterwards

Another popular idea that I have heard floating around is to put soup over rice. I have never personally tried this one, but I think it would be great with the right kind of soup that isn’t too brothy.

And if you’ve come to accept the freshman 15, you can also try out these amazing creations!

Nachos:

1. Get a plateful of corn chips
2. Add salad bar shredded cheese
3. Microwave until melted
4. Add any other nacho type of toppings that can be added

The salad bar offers plenty of choices! And why make a salad when you can make nachos, amma right?

Cheese Fries:

1. Add melted cheese (from either the potato bar or nacho bar when available) to a plateful of fries
2. Add bacon from the salad bar

Again, who really eats salad?

3. Add a little ranch dressing for dipping and you have some Denny’s-quality cheese fries in the comfort of your own cafeteria

And there you have it! An upperclassmen guide to cafeteria survival. Have any other favorite cafeteria creations? Comment them below!