Syllabus weekend—one of the most anticipated weekends during the semester. Everyone on campus is in agreement that no homework will be done, excessive amounts of vodka mixers will be made, and drunchies will be a life line, along with a bottle of Gatorade that you will protectively keep by your side. Trust me, I know. 

tea, juice, coffee, sweet
Sarah Bundra

Being away from home sucks, but somehow being away from your college besties (and bars) seems to suck even more at times. That first week back means that not only will you catch up on what you've been up to over winter break, but you get to see that cute bartender again, reunite with the dance floor, and hit up your favorite drunchie spots that you so missed.  

For Hawkeyes, there are a few good spots: a grilled cheese stand; a pizza shop that has everything you could have ever wanted ranging from mac n'cheese pizza to bacon bbq chicken ranch pizza; and a Philly shop whose sandwiches I swear are the length of a forearm.  

However, this syllabus weekend I decided to save myself from those long lines (and money) and meal prep my drunchies before I went out.

Thursday Night

Mary Dunton

For Thursday night, I went with a classic snack mix of Cheez-It's and M&M's. You can never go wrong with easy snack foods, and I may have snuck a bag similar to this into a bar before. Hey, a girl's gotta eat! 

I should have known that by the end of the night I was going to need more food since it started off with me walking into a bar for happy hour with my back pack still on. Needless to say, that buff' chix pizza saved me later. 

Friday Night

bread, wheat, pastry, sweet, cookie, flour, dough, candy
Tianna Blount

The easiest drunchie meal-prepping rule in the book: Make extras of what you're eating for dinner. For me, I made taquitos, so when I returned from the bars I got to continue the fiesta with some bean and beef taquitos. I would give them a two thumbs up.  

Saturday Night

sauce, pasta, penne, tomato, salad, fork, carb, eating
Caroline Ingalls

I had all intentions of going back out tonight, but my body was asking for a break, and so was my closet that looked like it had thrown up every sweater I owned.

My plan was to meal prep some spaghetti, so when I came home all I would have to do is throw it in the microwave. Although it wasn't used as drunchie food, it did serve handy as Sunday's lunch. That still counts as meal prepping right? 

The best "meal prepping" tip I'd highly recommend is setting aside a cup of water, or better yet, your water bottle before you go out. You never know if you're going to wake up in the middle of the night thirsty af, but the worst is waking up with a dry mouth, and we want to avoid that at all costs. 

Save yourself the money, and try meal prepping your drunchies the next time you decide to go out. You're 3 am self will thank your daytime self later.

#SpoonTip: Please drink responsibly! Spoon does not support binge drinking or underage drinking.