I’m not one to complain… like ever. More often, people are confused as to why I’m happy all the time. But that’s beside the point, because this isn’t a complaint as much as a description of a few (preventable) occurrences.

As a vegetarian, and near vegan (feta cheese is just irresistible), I’ve given Sodexo quite a bit of slack with their food options. With my eating habits, I don’t have too many dining possibilities. You may think, “Yeah but you don’t HAVE to not eat all those things right?” Of course I don’t HAVE too. But since I am required to pay for a meal plan, I would at least like the food I eat to be available, and to be served without a huffing employee and unnecessary situation. If meat can be offered, can’t Romaine lettuce be too?

The first week of school, I headed to Jazzman’s to grab a salad for lunch. Not to my surprise, the stack of premade salads all contained meat (so did the wraps). So I go and order a salad at the cashier counter. The lady points to the premade salads behind me and says that’s what they have, without so much an upward glance. When I say I would like one without meat, she easily goes and makes me one, no problem. But wouldn’t this situation have been easier if vegetarian food was already offered?

September 4, same deal: no premade vegetarian options at Jazzman’s. When I went to ask if I could have one made, the woman said they were out of lettuce. One of them then went downstairs to Bartels to get a spring greens mix. Luckily I wasn’t busy, so I could wait for this whole process to play out. But what if I wanted to get something quick to eat before a class? Would I have had to go without eating at all?

Then I decided to write this article, September 5, after eating at Bartels during the lunch hours. I got spinach with mushrooms and long grain rice from the Hometown station, and then proceeded to get broccoli. I approached the counter, and the employee told me that I cannot get just broccoli. It was either the entire meal with the meat, potatoes, and gravy, or nothing. I asked again and her new argument was that she can’t give me raw broccoli since it has to be cooked. Now why broccoli (a vegetable that is raw and perfectly delicious in those party veggie mixes) must be cooked beats me. I was just taken aback that she refused to give me food, and then wouldn’t cook the broccoli, as she had for the students before me. I persisted and eventually the employee served me three cooked pieces of broccoli. I understand that all the food stations have a certain price, but the cashiers have always charged me for three sides instead of the full “Hometown meal,” if there isn’t meat on my plate. Last year, I often had three non-meat food items on my plate, and there was never a problem.

My concern about these situations is due to the fact that I was required to purchase a meal plan. As a resident of Forest Hills it’s a bit redundant, since one of the perks of living in Forest includes having full kitchen. If I have to pay for food, and walk to campus for it, I would really like more options to be available.

I do give Sodexo some credit, they have improved in certain areas since the beginning of my freshman year, but these aforementioned situations really aren’t hard to correct. For now, all anyone can do is offer suggestions to Sodexo, but the last thing I want to worry about in college is whether I can eat a balanced meal, or any meal at all.