Food is crucial to survival on this campus!

Okay. I have enough energy to talk about surviving at a college, particularly a small school such as Ohio Wesleyan University. Sometimes I have a energy surge around the midnight hour so I usually do some work or if I am really in the mood to write, I write something. I feel that I am most productive in the late night/early morning for some strange reason. I think it is a phenomenon here at Ohio Wesleyan; my friends are the same way.


Anyway, one of the things I have learned during my time here at OWU is to not solely depend on your food points. Your food points serve multiple purposes besides food and you can miss out on opportunities if you don't have any food points left (e.g. trips to the Circle City Classic, special events on campus, etc). What I have done is talked to my parents, siblings, and all of my aunts about sending me care packages during the school year. As you can see, I have stocked up quite nicely. That way, I will never run out of food (hopefully!). Food is essential to being able to concentrate in class and critical when you may need that extra energy boost for an exam. Stock up on everything you can possibly think of (especially non-perishable items).


I have a fridge and a microwave that I constantly use. I like to eat and when I have leftovers of all of the food I had (which is very rare), I store the food. My fridge can be very cold or very warm depending on what food is being stored at that time. My microwave is for items such as Ramen noodles, Chef Boy-R-Dee products, quesadillas, and other food items. I like to think that these appliances will help me maintain my sanity when I am snowed in my residence hall.




I made sure my fridge would be able to hold a lot of food and drinks in it. There are two fridges in my room; one is mine and the other is my roommates. However, he does not use it as often as I, so I always use his fridge to store the remainder of my items as I often have a surplus of drinks and fruit cups. I'm the kind of guy who drinks not because he is thirsty or that the drink goes with a meal but I feel a sudden urge to do so. Soda, kool-aid, fruit beverages- I store it all to get the satisfaction of that nice, cold feeling down my stomach. Oh yeah. Please, if you come to OWU, make sure you have a fridge to store all of your food in. You will certainly need it in case of an emergency or desperation.



Finally, there is a solution to when you run out of food points but you don't want to go to the on-campus convenience store. OWU is next to a place where students call it UDF or as the picture spells out, United Dairy Farmers. No, it is not a diary based store (it does sell cheese and tons of milk). It is THE nearest and most convenient gas station in the vicinity. Students stock up on all kinds of items like cereal, chips, and other critical items that like college student very happy. I suggest all OWU with some moneys in their pockets to go to UDF and buy everything they need. This will be one of the smartest moves you can make; you spend less and buy more with what you got.

You cannot survive as a college student without food. It may be home cooked food that you can fall in love with but you can maintain your sanity by enjoying what you have for very little money or no money at all if you play your card correctly. I am surviving because of my large stash; I am saving money and still eating like a champion. This investment in food can help make your life at Ohio Wesleyan and at any college in the country an easier experience.

Take care,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10