The end of the year means one of two things. You’re either broke and just trying to make it through finals with the last $20 of food points you have left; or, your parents set you up with a meal plan that even the linebacker on the football team couldn’t eat his way through. Here at Duke, our food points don’t roll over to the next year and simply go to waste if you don’t spend them all. We take that as a challenge.
Here are the reports on what some Duke students are really wasting those end-of-year food points on. With options such as excessive bottles of marked up Barefoot from an on-campus eatery to an upscale meal at the Fairview Dining Room at the nearby Washington Duke Inn (or the WaDuke, as we lovingly call it), students love to live it up at the end of the year, courtesy of Mom and Dad.
1. Birthday party any day
I once bought an entire cake for $55 from Saladelia during a late-night study session in the library. Oh, and I also went back last week with some friends to taste test one of every single item sold.
Want to try it yourself? It will cost you between $50-$60.
Photo by Sydney Segal
2. Feeding the addiction
I spend about $200 per semester on gum. I average about a pack a day.
The little things can really add up.
3. Expensive taste
I just ‘Wa’ spent my extra food points on alcohol, charging $200 for a glass of whiskey before the end of the semester last year.
Because when else will you have an excuse to splurge on a glass of whiskey?
4. Let’s go to the beach, beach
Photo by Izzi Clark
Before going to celebrate the end of the year at Myrtle Beach last year, I spent about all of my remaining points exclusively on alcohol from Food Fac on Central Campus.
Well, that’s going to be a fun Beach Week.
5. Final four?
Photo by Izzi Clark
There are only four ways to spend: Dinners at the WaDuke, strawberry moscato, Quencher’s smoothies, and a lot of Sushi Love delivery.
Sounds delicious.
6. #ForeverDuke
Last year, my dad spent all of my sister’s remaining food points the last night of the semester by ordering the most expensive scotch from the WaDuke to share with college friends from Duke.
Thanks, Dad.
7. Stay thirsty
Photo by Sydney Segal
In just one day alone I spent: $7.98 on a coffee and tea, $1.25 on a diet coke after, then loaded up on 2 diet Snapples, a large Fiji water, a Fresca, a Diet Dr. Pepper, and a Vitamin Water Zero for $15.53, then spent another $3.38 on another large Fiji water. All together, that adds up to a daily total of $28.11, in one day, just on drinks.
She’s definitely making sure to stay hydrated with all those extra food points.
8. Just your average Domino’s delivery
Photo by Kellyn Simpkins
For a sorority function, I once ordered well over $300 worth of Domino’s pizza. Don’t worry, though; I got reimbursed in full.
Gotta love those sisterhood funds.
9. Pajamas are a priority
Food points for me mean choosing convenience over cost. With Uncle Harry’s just around the corner from my apartment on Central Campus, that’s where I do all of my grocery shopping. I spend about $13 a week on fresh fruit from the store. It’s great because I never get in a car, and I can walk over to shop in pajamas.
Pajama shopping over everything.
10. LDOC Blowout
A trip to Food Fac on Central Campus with all of my friends after the celebrations on LDOC was the perfect way to spend the last of my food points still left over before heading into finals week.
This one knows how to save the best for last.
Photo by Sydney Segal
At the end of the day, you can thank Mom and Dad for setting you up with a debit card ready for a school year that’s sure to include some funny stories like these. If not, maybe it’s proof you need to increase your meal plan for next year, because no one can ever get enough Food Fac champagne and WaDuke dining, right?
Check these out for some more Duke campus reads: