All About College Orientations: Part 4 of 5

Outdoor dining space at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL.

On campus dining has changed. A lot. Seriously, there are many options now to satisfy the hungriest college student and also those who are on restrictive diets. In All About Campus Orientations Part 4 of 5, we help you navigate the complex world of Dining Services.

The main dining hall at Rollins College is called The Marketplace.

Food. After tuition and housing, it is the next costliest expenditure for college students. Whether your student will live on or off campus their freshman year, they will utilize at least one dining service option during that time.

Let’s talk meal plans. 🙂

There are full meal plans and hybrid meal plans and everything else in between. Some large campuses boast food courts that rival large shopping mall food courts! Your meal plan may include options to use flex dollars at locations like these in addition to the main dining halls. Visit the Dining Services section of the university’s website so you are prepared prior to orientation day. Know the various meal option models inside and out before you set foot on campus! College orientations are a great time to gain information, but gather all you can on the front end. Here are a few questions to ask:

Are residential students required to have a meal plan? Most universities require freshman students living in campus housing (a.k.a. the dorms) to have some sort of meal plan.

If so, what is the minimum meal plan amount he/she needs to purchase if they don’t want a full plan? Your student may wish to keep frozen meals in the fridge in the dorm and use the microwave for sometimes.

What if I don’t use all of the meals? What happens to unused flex dollars on my meal card? This is important to know at the close of both semesters!

What are the hours of operation for the various dining options? Specifically, what is open late on weekdays. That Tue/Thurs lab from 2-6 means a little planning ahead.

Which food venue is most often frequented by freshman? Your son or daughter will most likely want to dine with other new students who are in the same boat! It is a great way to meet new friends.

Dave’s Boathouse pub-style eatery on campus at Rollins College.

If I am not on the full meal plan, can I add funds to my flex plan meal card if I run low during the semester? Make sure a fee is not assessed to add funds at a later date. Usually there is not a fee, but check to make sure. Parents: Make sure you have your son or daughter’s flex card number and log in information if you are going to be adding funds during the year. It happens.

If I am on the full meal plan, can I have unrestricted use of all dining facilities? Such a good question! Also, ask if a cup of coffee & a banana in the morning count as 1 Meal for the day…..our daughter would do a “grab & go” scenario before her early class and would be ready for a full breakfast a little later. Ask your campus rep what constitutes “a meal”. If you are charged for a full meal for that banana & coffee, go ahead & get a muffin, an orange & a slice of bacon, too!

Which meal option is most popular for freshman at this campus? When you are on campus for college orientation, ask this question to as many current students as possible! Don’t take one person’s opinion as the gold standard. Where will you find current students to ask about this? I mean, you CAN totally embarrass your son or daughter by asking random students who walk by, but keep the awkwardness on the down low while you are there! Instead, ask your orientation tour guide. Find a tour guide from another group – ask them, too! Ask adults who work at the college, too! Find the Associate Director of Dining Services or another university official who is on site for the orientation. You will have a cross pollination of answers and from there you can gauge what will work best in this environment for your freshman. 🙂

Which dining facilities are open on the weekend? This is a REALLY important question if your student will not have a car first or second semester. If you want to review our parking tips for freshman you can do that here. It took a whole article just to cover that topic!:)

If I am on a partial plan with a flex dollar option on my card, will unused monies carry over to the next semester or will they be refunded?

Can my meal card be used at other businesses near the university? We were pleasantly surprised to learn that this is now a thing. Our daughter’s large university has partnered with several restaurants nearby who accept the university flex dollar card.

I am going to live off campus. Can I put a small amount of money, like $50, on a flex card to use for coffee, snacks, sandwiches or even full meals when I am on campus for class? This is such a good idea! If your college works in this manner, sign up ASAP! As an off campus student, it is sometimes easier to stay on campus for the three hour break between classes due to parking constraints than to leave and return. Rather than carry cash or an ATM card, your student ID/flex card can serve you well. This is really, really helpful during exams and for late night group study sessions on campus!

What if I have dietary restrictions or preferences? You will most likely find the answer to this question on the Dining Services portion of the college’s website. However, while you are there in person, you can check out the venues offering special dining arrangements.

The main dining hall at Rollins College. Make sure you check out dining hall locations during your college orientation!

Our daughter opted for a full meal plan for her first semester as she did not want to take a car to school her freshman year. This worked well for her in the fall; the meals were healthy and well prepared. She had a large variety of options and certainly got her moneys worth! However, second semester she switched to a partial meal plan and allocated a little money onto her flex funds card. This change was due mainly because of the weather second semester. In the winter, she felt as if she would eat most breakfasts in her dorm….where it was warm! She did not want to walk a long way to breakfast and then further to class in the cold. This worked combination worked well for her. She has friends who attend smaller colleges and opt for full meal plans year round. It really is a matter of preference, lifestyle choices, and the collegiate environment.

All of this talk about FOOD and DINING is making me hungry! I think I am going to take a break and end this June evening with some Summer Shrimp Skewers. 🙂

Now, it’s time to head on over to All About College Orientations: Part 5 of 5!

P.S. – I am not affiliated with Rollins College at all; this is not a sponsored post in any manner. Rather, I happened to be in Winter Park, FL with a friend whose child is a student. I snapped lots of pics along the way during our visit! It is a gorgeous campus tucked away in a pocket of Orlando known as Winter Park. It’s adorable!