Something I’ve noticed in recent weeks is that the most important thing to me when it comes to food is the level of variety. When I was at home, I had options that I wouldn’t have had at Wagner. Likewise, when I came back to campus, I wasn’t able to have all of the foods that I would have had at home. Fortunately we have the advantage of being near an expanse of different options when it comes to cuisine. New York City provides plenty of opportunity to switch things up and discover new favorites. What I’m dreading is when I go back to my summer camp. I work at a creative and performing arts camp in Connecticut and I learned very quickly that I don’t like the monotony in the food that they serve. I just signed my contract for another session next summer, and I am already dreading the food schedule that I will be forced to participate in. Every year I have the same dietary pattern when I am there. For the first few weeks, I go into everything with an open mind. I try the main dish that they serve; I eat salad at least once a day, and have cereal during our meetings, which take place after the campers have gone to bed. Not long after that is when I start to break. I put more faith into the salad bar as time goes on. I eat salad and fruit for days in a row. But as the last few weeks approach, I give up. I eat out more often and decide to spend money rather than face another leaf of lettuce. Just thinking about it makes me a little nauseous. I know the need for variety isn’t something exclusive to my own experiences, but I think I may feel it a bit stronger than the average person. I haven’t heard any other complaints about this problem from the people I work with, just that they don’t like the food as much as they wished they would. I have one coworker who only eats a few things and I don’t understand how she can do it. In or out of camp she only eats meals which are very familiar to her and that she is able to make herself. I feel that we have completely opposite problems.

I worry about how I will handle another session of camp. Will I find that it wasn’t as bad as I had remembered it? Will I shudder and cringe as soon as I walk into their dining hall? Maybe I will live exclusively off of take out. Either way, it has taught me that in order to truly enjoy meals, I need to find a good balance.

Shannon