Mother’s Day on the Hill

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Annie Brown

Last year, the spring semester ended just before Mother’s Day, so I was able to spend Mother’s Day with my mom. But because of how the calendar played out this year, I am not able to spend Mother’s Day with my mom this weekend.

Still, Mother’s Day was alive and well here on the Hill, and even though I didn’t get to spend the day with my mom, I did spend a couple of hours with a mom. Once a month, the College and our president, Dr. Roger Casey, invite alumni and other guests to enjoy Sunday brunch in Glar, our dining hall. On these days, the food in Glar tends to be nicer and there’s live music. Yesterday, Dr. Casey extended the invitation online for moms to come celebrate Mother’s Day with their weary and over-burdened students approaching finals week in the dining hall today, and some moms ended up taking him up on that offer.

So today at brunch, my friends and I got to eat with one of my friend’s moms, who came to town from New York to help her daughter pack her things and take them to storage. I haven’t met all of my friend’s parents, so I was glad to finally meet A’s mom, who fit right in with our brunch group. There was plenty of conversation to go around, and A’s mom also checked in with all of us to make sure we were all hanging in there and asked us what finals we have coming up. She also wished us all good luck with our exams.

Overall, it was a lovely brunch, and I’m thinking we should start inviting a different mom every week to eat with us. Especially in times of stress, it’s nice to get a little “mommed,” even if it doesn’t come from one’s own mother.

Earlier last week, I made sure to pick up a card from the book store on campus to send to my mom, which she received on Friday and loved. I’ll be calling her tonight to spend Mother’s Day evening with her over the phone–when I’m knee deep into my paper due tomorrow and need a break for a little love and encouragement

The Real Food Challenge

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Amber Slater

I became interested in food justice when I read the book The Ethics of What We Eat by Peter Singer when I first started college. After learning about the mistreatment of animals and workers in the corporate food system as well as the environmental effects of factory farming, I could no longer justify eating meat.

From that point, I continued reading about the problems in the food system and came to realize how various elements seemed intertwined with the things I was studying in my classes. When I became serious about studying Spanish, for example, I began to read about how many immigrant laborers are treated and discovered that oftentimes workers who pick the shiny fruit in our grocery stores work in slave-like conditions.

Thus, I’ve always been skeptical about how sustainable the food served in our cafeteria is because feeding such a large group of students each day is such a massive corporate endeavor. Additionally, once I had my own kitchen, I grew skeptical and confused about the food that I was buying for myself. Is it really better to buy local? Why are fair trade foods so expensive? What does free range REALLY mean?

Last night, a speaker on campus presented the most succinct and full interpretation of the elements of food justice that I have come across, and told us about how the model can be used in large dining endeavors such as those on college campuses.

The image is part of the Real Food Challenge, a national movement to unite food activists of different types under the common goal of improving food quality. From those who are concerned about losing culture through dwindling crop diversity to environmentalists who are concerned with emissions of factory farms, the Real Food web is a catch-all that serves as a uniting model.

http://www.realfoodchallenge.org/sites/realfoodchallenge.drupalgardens.com/files/katie%20cloth%20wheel.jpg

In college campuses across the country, students have been tracking the food in their dining halls to determine how much, according the parameters set by the Real Food Challenge, is “real.” The answer, because most schools contract large corporations to supply food, is not much. The food we are served in the cafeteria is rarely grown sustainably, and farmers around the world are not paid fair wages for the food that ends up on our plates.

The goal, once a school pledges to join the challenge, is that by the year 2020, 20% of the food served in the cafeteria will be real. Here at McDaniel, we are at the beginning of the process to achieve this goal for better food! Stay tuned for information on our next step.

The McPlague

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Amber Slater

Starting around dinnertime and late into the night of Tuesday, Feb. 26, students found themselves battling for space in public bathrooms due to extreme flu-like symptoms. At 10:45 AM, a campus-wide email alerted the McDaniel community that we are experiencing an outbreak of gastroenteritis, a virus.

Though many students are sick and stuck in their rooms, various campus services have reached out to those affected in order to keep the school week running smoothly. Here are a few examples of ways that students can gain help from campus offices:

Online appointments with the Writing Center are typically only available to deaf students, graduate students, and students studying at the Budapest campus. This week, any student can sign up for a virtual appointment so that sick students can still have someone look at their papers.

Glar is offering a system for sick students to use their meal plan. Roommates may swipe the card of an affected student and, with the help of a Sedexo manager, pick out food to put into a Styrofoam container to bring back to the dorm.

Those who can’t attend class don’t need a note. While students are encouraged to keep in touch with their professors about missed work, they don’t need a doctor’s note based upon the high volume of students who have not been able to attend class.

Because we live in such close proximity, viruses spread alarmingly quickly on college campuses. Though students may feel alarmed by the number of affected students, there are resources that aim to help students make it through the week.

A great day for chocolate

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Annie Brown

Though I didn’t have a valentine this year, chocolate was here and everywhere for me this Valentine’s Day.

After I was finished class this afternoon, I went to my campus mailbox to find a lovely bar of fair-trade chocolate I had ordered for myself last week. (I also received two Valentine’s Day cards and a birthday card from relatives. My birthday is less two weeks away!)

On my journey to Glar, more chocolate came into my possession. I bought a pussy pop–a chocolate lollipop shaped like a vagina–to benefit the Vagina Monologues and their One Billion Rising cause. Since the Vagina Monologues show was last weekend, the pussy pops were on sale for only a dollar! I also made sure I picked up some Hershey Kisses from the Writing Center table outside of Glar.

Dinner was when the real chocolate treats began. There was a huge buffet table with strawberries and pineapple for dipping in chocolate, cupcakes (in chocolate and vanilla), Rice Krispie treats (which were not chocolate but they were read), and chocolate-dipped almond cookies. The most enticing and delicious dessert, however, was a rich chocolate cake. It was moist, filled with chocolate ganache, and covered with chocolate shavings. It only took one piece to fill me up, so it was good that I decided to skip dinner!

I actually haven’t eaten any of the chocolate I picked up today at the post office or outside of Glar, but tonight, I indulged in some of the chocolate that I got in the mail from my mom on Tuesday.

Since my waistline can handle only so much chocolate in one day, I now have plenty of chocolate to indulge my sweet tooth for a long time!

The Perks of the Meal Plan

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Amber Slater

Even though I was on campus during this past Jan term, I opted out of a meal plan in order to save some money. Though I love cooking and experimenting with new recipes, I did find that I missed going to our cafeteria, Glar, or grabbing some food at the pub. Now that the semester has begun, I’ve been using my meal plan pretty much everyday.

For those on the fence about getting a meal plan, here are five instances when our dining services really comw in handy:

1. Exhausted mornings- Whether I was up too late writing a paper, talking to friends, or just didn’t sleep well, sometimes I just feel like I need to kick start my day in the cafeteria. My staples are omelettes, which are served until 9:30, and coffee. I’m not usually a big caffeine drinker, but the combination of filling food and a cup of black coffee helps me get through the day when the night before was long.

2. Post-workout- I run cross country and track, so usually after a long workout I’m starving and not really interested in going back to my kitchen and spending time cooking something. It’s nice to have hot food on my plate when I’m tired without any work or clean-up involved.

3. Between classes- There are few things worse than sitting through a lecture while your stomach is growling. Often, I find myself with an hour to kill in the middle of the day, at which point I hit up Glar in order to make sure that I’m full, energized, and able to pay attention during class.

4. Themed nights- Typically on Tuesdays and Thursdays the chefs organize special themes for our dinner in Glar. The schedule for this semester has been posted, and I was excited to see some old favorites like sushi night mixed in with new themes, like a vegan dinner!

5. 11:30PM- You know the feeling. It’s late, and you’re craving mozzarella sticks. With our meal plan, we have meal exchanges that allow us to order food in the Pub until 11:30. Eating in the Pub at night is a great way to take a study break and catch up with friends after a long day.

After living on both sides of having a meal plan, I am definitely glad that I’m able to use one this semester. It allows me to eat with my friends and at times that are convenient for me!

Keeping the Fun Alive

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Annie Brown

Things tend to get hectic in the days leading up to Thanksgiving through the rest of the semester. In fact, you could say that Thanksgiving is like the eye of a storm–a calm in the middle surrounded by chaos.

Despite the fact that the end of the semester is typically a stressful time (as I’m sure you can imagine), it’s important to continue to take some time for yourself to relax, do fun things, and spend time with friends.

The fun in my life has definitely been kept alive this week, particularly yesterday when we had our annual Thanksgiving lunch in Glar. Thanksgiving lunch is one of my favorite meals of the year. Turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and other delicious food is served buffet style, and for dessert, they’re all sorts of pie, cake, and cheesecake to choose from. Glar is packed with students, faculty, and staff looking to unwind and have a nice meal. This coming together and festivity makes me feel all warm and happy inside. I can’t wait to do it all over again in a few weeks when we have our annual holiday lunch.

There must have been pie left over from lunch because in the afternoon, Dr. Roger Casey, our college president, got pied in the face (twice!). In actuality, he got pied because his name raised the most money in a fundraiser for the Vagina Monologues, in which students and other members of the college community donated money into bags with the names of members of our administration. The person whose bag received the most money got pied. Our Dean of Student Affairs also got a cupcake to the face for coming in second place. Both she and Dr. Casey were really got sports about it, and it was for a great cause. Dr. Casey even seemed to enjoy it and said that the coconut cream pie tasted good.

I’ll continue to make sure I enjoy myself over the next few days. Eventually, some of my friends will come over tonight and we’ll probably watch Monty Python’s Flying Circus or something else silly. We might also watch some Star Wars this weekend too, since we watched the prequel trilogy last weekend. But I won’t let the Star Wars conflict with going to see Danger Sauce, McDaniel’s improv troupe on Saturday night. Members of Gettysburg College’s improv troupe are also coming to do the show with them, and the proceeds of this show will go to charity. I’m interested in seeing how the two troupes interact and perform with each other, and I’m glad this event will be fun for all for a good cause!

My Favorite Meals Around Campus

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Kaitlyn Vadenais

While nothing will ever be better than homecooking, here are some of my favorite meals around campus.

1. Miss Bobby’s Buffalo Chicken salad

We have a station in Glar where Miss Bobby makes customized hand-tossed salads. Students can either chose from one of her specialties or create their own concoction. I love choosing her famous Buffalo Chicken salad. Her original dressing is what makes it.

2. Chicken Tender Thursdays

This day is not a joke. Lunchtime on Thursdays is enough to get you through the week. There are regular tenders, gluten-free tenders, and all the dipping sauces you could desire. Students anticipate this weekly lunch more than anything.

3. Wing night

Glar holds special themed nights a few times a month. One of my favorites is wing night. These wings fly off the trays in flavors like Old Bay and BBQ. Definitely one of the messiest nights in Glar, make sure you have a stack of napkins nearby for a finger-licking good meal!

4. Sushi night

Another special Glar theme is sushi nights. These hand-rolled delicacies hit the spot, for the price of your regular meal swipe. From California Rolls to Spicy Tuna, your favorite rolls are sure to be found on this delicious night.

5. Chicken Cheesesteak

When it comes to the Pub, this is my first choice. These cheesesteaks are fresh off the grill and perfectly toasty. The cheese is so melty that it always hits the spot, especially as a fourth meal late at night. With a side of fries, you can’t go wrong.

…And When It Comes To GLAR

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Robert

Englar Dining Hall (GLAR) can be an intimidating place on campus for someone who is going in for the first time. Since it is the only dining hall on campus, almost every student that does not have an apartment with a kitchen finds themselves in GLAR at one point or another during the day. During Fall semester freshman year, this can be tough the first few times you go. Generally your First Year Seminar (FYS) sits together the first few times you go, but for me I was on my own after that. Luckily I made a friend, Andrew, who lived one floor above me in Rouzer Hall. We bonded over a mutual appreciation for Xbox and conveniently had classes at similar times so we were able to eat most meals together, which was nice.

Friendships tend to change during the beginning of freshman year and Andrew and I grew apart, but I made a new group of friends that came to include my best friends Jon, Sean, Jenn, Kelli, and Barnabas. We try to eat meals together when we can, which can be difficult. The best we do is a lunchtime somewhere in the range of 11am and dinner at about 5pm. We can usually manage to have at least a few of us together for meals if not all, which is really nice to have.

Seating is the next big thing you should know about GLAR. Many sports teams and organizations like to sit together. For example, Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity tends to sit right by the entrance in the first two or three round tables to the right. Next are the soccer teams, and occasionally field hockey (field hockey eats later than other teams). In the upper back of the first seating section, Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity and Lacrosse like to settle in. The center section usually has some randoms along the semi-circle table arrangement while baseball likes to take over the round tables.

Then we reach the far-side of GLAR where the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and some members of the swim team usually sit. Not excluded is the Football team who usually sits in the upper-back of the far-side. This where my friends and I find a free table. The far-side and the back portico are generally free from organizations, though the Phi Alpha Mu Sorority has been known to commandeer a few tables every now and the. Anyways this is where the independents of the McDaniel campus usually find a place to sit.

The seating habits that I have laid out here, granted, are intimidating. They might make a freshman feel as though the only way to fit in is to align yourself with some kind of organization or sports team. Honestly, this isn’t false. A large portion of the McDaniel community is aligned in some form of organization or sports team. However, I believe my friends and I (who together represent Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Phi Sigma Sigma Fraternity, the soccer team, the baseball team, and plenty of other on-campus organizations) embody the idea that while there may be exclusive groups on campus, the members of these groups do not need to be exclusively devoted to their respective groups all the time. Transversality is common and good friends will trump organizations every time…definitely when it comes to GLAR.

A New Reason to love Thursdays

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Mara Seibert

I haven’t always loved Thursdays. Sure it’s one day away from Friday, which is clearly exciting. But usually mine are still pretty busy, consumed with classes and working and homework. This semester though, my Thursdays got a whole lot more amazing and not just because I’m back in Gospel Choir (which hugely improves Thursday evenings, and class will always include the entire class laughing hysterically at some point). This year, Thursdays introduced….the Mongolian Grill option…

Maybe this appeared last semester and I simply wasn’t here to appreciate it. Studying abroad tends to do that to you. Even so, this came as a fantastic surprise to me.

This may sound deceiving. Or simply not all that exciting. But it is. Now, Thursday afternoons in Glar, the school cafeteria does not just offer chicken tenders (which normally excites the entire student and staff populations), but the Mongolian Grill. Essentially, it lets you select all your ingredients: chicken, onions, peppers, broccoli, snow peas, carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, tofu, you name it. My personal favorite is the fresh pineapple-I go back for seconds when that’s around. Next, you add a scoopful of steaming rice to your concoction and move down the line, eyeing up the selection of potential stir-fry sauces. There’s teriyaki, soy, stir-fry, sweet-and-sour and others. Then you hand your plate of goodies to the person behind the counter and tell them what sauce or sauces you want it stir-fried with then step back and let them go at it while you pick up a drink and silverware before coming back to retrieve your meal.

The result? A steaming plate that you handpicked of tasty food, and probably way more of it than you thought you were getting. I’m a big fan. I love being able to select what I want from the ingredients to sauces and have things I don’t normally carry in my kitchen (like broccoli). Plus, it makes a change from the normal routine of the dining hall and me wandering aimlessly from side to side trying to decide what I want to eat.

It also helps that my Thursdays are relatively free nowadays, as I only have two music classes and work, it lets you appreciate being on campus a bit more when you’re not running around all the time and being late for everything! Another fun fact about this fall is that it means the start of some of my favorite dressings at the salad station- namely, the Apple Cider vinaigrette- always a win!

Keep on Mongolian Grill. You make my Thursdays.

A Little Place Called Pub

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Robert

As many will agree, the Pub offers the best food on campus. This is not to say that the food offered at GLAR (Englar Dining Hall) isn’t palatable, just that the Pub’s food is more popular and maybe slightly better in quality since the food is made-to-order. In the past Spring semester they just gave the new offering of a chicken quesadilla which is by far the best thing they make there, but this is not on the meal exchange so it isn’t necessarily the most popular food offered. What is on the meal exchange, however, is the beef steak and cheese (or cheesesteak, whichever suits you. My roommate from Philadelphia always gives me a hard time) and this is my personal go-to everytime I’m in the mood for a quick snack.

My friends and I have taken to the regiment of playing pick-up soccer five times a week sunday-thursday from 10 to 11 when the gym closes. This leaves Friday and Saturday free for homework and other weekend activities. Since the Pub stays open until 11:30, it serves as a perfect post-soccer hangout. The chicken tenders are a good choice here because these are the only pre-cooked items on the menu and can be served within minutes.

Another good use of the pub is a quick lunch on Saturdays in the Fall where you just want to get back out to the football game. If you leave the game right at halftime and head directly to the pub, you can have a quick meal and be back out to the field right at the beginning of the second half, or even take the meal to-go which is an option that students can check on their meal exchange tickets.

The Pub is a fantastic dining option on campus and is, in general, a great place to hangout before classes, after classes, and between classes. Last year I found that one of my friends, Karen, had the same hour and a half break on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we would meet at the Pub for lunch and talk about our days; who was annoying us; what homework we hadn’t done for our next class. The Pub is more than a dining place, it is a staple of the McDaniel campus.

Stories from the Hill

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