Food, Glorious Food

So it's 1:15 AM and I've been Googling "corn pudding" for the last 10 minutes instead of writing a literature review for my thesis. I'm a master procrastinator, and I generally do my best work only if there's a deadline within a looming 24 hour span. Hence, looking up my favorite fat-laden Southern recipes instead of being studious. I am so excited for Thanksgiving! I will eat, eat, eat.

I joke to visitors that Tufts is the one school in the country where you will not gain the "Freshman 15" by fall break--because of our infamous hill. It's kind of like going to school on a giant treadmill. I've made it to the gym once this semester; walking around campus is a boot camp in itself. (Don't worry, walking around isn't that cumbersome. I'm just not very athletic. I also failed Pee Wee Tennis when I was 4 years old.)

But it's great that we're constantly being aerobically challenged, because the food on- and off-campus is amazing. Our dining halls are ranked among the best in the nation. At Carmichael, our uphill dining hall, we have professional chefs who come in Monday through Friday to prepare individual meals according to daily themes. Tuesday Stir Fry Night is legendary. You go down the salad bar, pick out your veggies, and then tell a chef, made-to-order, what meats, noodles, sauces, spices, and rices you want sauteed in a pan. Teriyaki sauce, udon noodles, chicken, pineapple, snow peas, broccoli, and sprouts is my standing order.

Because of our affiliation with the nation's only graduate school in nutrition science, we have a variety of healthy and tasty options. Vegans, vegetarians, and individuals with dietetic concerns have a lot of dining hall options. My housemate, Stephen, has Celiac Disease and Dining Services has been really accommodating in ensuring there are enough gluten-free entrees.

I once walked into a dining hall at 9 am on a Tuesday, bleary-eyed, to find The Beach Boys blasting overhead, bikinis, towels, and inflatable pool toys thrown everywhere, and, in the center of the floor, an industrial-grade cotton candy machine. It was Beach Madness Day. Try and tell me this isn't the greatest school.