The campus of Colgate University holds over 3,200 Raiders, who call this place home for nine months of the year. Don’t get me wrong, this campus provides many illustrious amenities to me and my peers, of which we are all very appreciative. However, what is lacking up the hill is a diverse range of cuisine options.
I think I can speak for all students when I say that a tasty plate of dumplings, a loaded burrito, a bowl of chicken tikka masala and many other mouth-watering dishes are often craved, all of which are unfortunately rare to see in the University’s dining halls. Of course, asking for this kind of convenience may be seen as pushy, but it is without question tough to put aside when speaking to friends at other colleges, who will potentially never even taste all the different foods that their dining services offer in their four years as an undergraduate student. With that being said, as new initiatives are being proposed and funded in Colgate’s Third-Century Plan, I am hoping for the addition of more diversified cuisine up the hill.
Colgate University is strongly focused on the educational excellence of their student body, hence supplying countless opportunities, facilities and conveniences geared towards intellectual growth and progressiveness, both on and off campus. This is surely a dominant reason why I, and many other students, applied to this prestigious university. Consequently, it comes as no surprise that the University is focusing their Third-Century Plan on constructing new academic buildings, offering greater financial support and scholarships as well as developing new housing to not just students but also faculty and staff, located both up and down the hill. It is unquestionably clear that the University understands that the lifestyle of their students is attached to their achievements and erudition, as directly visible with their generous funding of new residential housing. While the Third-Century Plan states there will be “new or improved shared dining” spaces introduced to Lower Campus, I hope that a similar focus will be placed on reflecting this mission up the hill. Although it may seem moderately insignificant, diverse food offerings either for health benefits or simply comfort meals similarly aid student excellence.
According to a study conducted by the University of Newcastle in 2017, students with a healthier dietary intake are often of higher academic achievement. In addition, The New York Times reported in 2022 that comfort foods are emotionally satisfying, so our bodies release opioid-based chemicals when we consume them. These chemicals, like serotonin, increase happiness, thus allowing students to temporarily relieve stress when studying or completing rigorous assignments. Either way, both nutritious and unhealthy foods offer many benefits to intelligent students. Now, of course, Colgate does offer both types for all meals of the day; however, what is offered is often repetitive, limited and a bit dull. With all things considered, if a portion of Third-Century Plan funding were to be dedicated to offering a more diverse cuisine, it is likely for educational success to prosper.
Let it be known that Hamilton, N.Y., does provide a few tasty cuisine offerings, different from what is served on campus. In my opinion, Royal Indian Grill (RIG) is the most delicious restaurant in the village — a must try for those that love Indian cuisine. With that being said, eating food from RIG and other locations in Hamilton is tough, especially as an underclassman, as a majority of students up the hill do not have a car on campus, plus ordering through a delivery service can be quite expensive. Similarly, walking a mile to the village on a frigid cold winter day when hungry for something mouth-watering is not really that easy. In order to address this issue, Colgate has built communal kitchens in housing up the hill so that if craving something separate from what is provided at Frank Dining Hall or the O’Connor Campus Center, a student is able to cook using the complimentary kitchenware. However, this brings many challenges, as these kitchens can often be crowded, obtaining ingredients can be limited and even cooking itself serves a tough task. This process is altogether definitely a challenge, and the solutions that the university has offered do not feel very helpful.
I hope the Third-Century Plan will add new cuisine up the hill, as the plan seeks to improve the student residential system on campus at large. Regardless, improvements to dining on campus are certainly changes that will be welcomed. It is without question that happy students and happy bellies go hand in hand!
