So I have decided that even though I have in no way, shape, or form mastered the campus of Penn State, that I am at least some what qualified due to my experiences on campus to give advice on how to get around and… actually no, more simply I am going to write about how to survive campus. So BIGGEST piece of advice number one, DON’T GO TO SOUTH FROM 6 TO 7! Okay so I lied this won’t be the biggest piece of advice that I give you, but seriously listen to me when I say this, if you want to eat at South dining commons do not go between 6 and 7 because you will stand in a 20 to 30 minute line, your food will take forever, and you will not find a table. I mean sure it can be fun to elbow a girl for the last fruit cup, or slide the cooks a $5 to get your food up in the line, but if these do not sound like things that you would enjoy then just wait, or be like me and go at 5. Sure it sounds like a pain, but you get used to it.
So while I am on the subject of South Dining commons here is another piece of advice, if you are in a rush do not get Chinese food. Trust me when I say this you will not have time to eat it. I know this from personal experience because the one day I had to be somewhere at 6, so I went to the dining commons at 5:35 (see earlier than 6) and my meeting was only 5 minutes away so I had 20 minutes to eat. I quickly decided I was in the mood for Chinese food and the line was really short (because it was before 6) so I filled my bowl with veggies, ordered, and stood and waited… and waited… and waited until it was 5:50. Yeah so I had no time to eat, and if you have ever ordered Chinese before you know it is really hot when you get it. So here I am with a container of steaming Chinese and five minutes to eat it, so I did what any sane, hungry, on time person would do… I went outside into the 15 degree December night and ate my Chinese food as the wind cooled it down. I got a few stares but I got where I was going on time. So yes while the Chinese food is AMAZING! Do not think that just because it has a short line it will only take 5 minutes to make.
If you are in a hurry and eating food at Redifer here are some Do’s. Do go before 6, lines to avoid are Hot Steel Noodles and Fresco Y Caliente. Now if you can’t go to dinner before six then your best bet for fast food is to go to the Urban Garden Line which is short and the food fast or the Edomae Sushi line is the fastest (because there is no line and they just package the food for you). If you get there before 6 and still want fast food then The City Grill is really fast, In a Pickle is decently fast (subs and wraps are usually faster than paninis), and Piatto Felice is pretty quick to, as long as you get something that they have pre-made. As for the Redifer Buffet that normally takes some time to stand in line and get swiped, and then wait behind everyone for food, so I might say hold off on that unless it is really good.
Well my new passion is to give people advice and help you survive campus, I am currently writing on an empty stomach so Redifer seemed like a good topic. I hope these tips on Redifer helped, or at least you got a laugh out of my story and I hope that you read next weeks installment of the Do’s and Don’ts of Campus.
Something I realized when I came here is that people eat dinner really dang early… I have friends who go down to the dining commons at 5:30, and I’m used to eating at or after 7. I guess it’s good that I’m used to eating later since Redifer IS so much better after 7.
Just woah…
The first time I went to go get the Chinese I almost had a breakdown because they give like zero helpful instructions on the list they have up on the menu board. One of the things they say is to choose vegetables and choose your protein but A) nowhere do they ever say to give the bowl to the people behind the counter, or explain that those veggies get stir fried, and B) they don’t even have a list of the different types of meat you can get. At least not that I could find. This is why I don’t try new things.
I totally agree with your don’ts. The line at Redifer after six is crazy. Unlike pollock dining which still has a long line but goes so much faster, Redifer is rather smaller so it is hectic. I think he perfect time to go eat at Redifer is right after our english class.
Oh Mary… I love it! Haha I think that this blog of yours should be given to Freshman at orientation because it takes a while to learn the lay of the land… especially at Redifer. I must admit that I got a kick out of your Chinese food story. I totally agree with everything you said though. Too bad the best food always has the longest lines :/
You should submit this blog to the people who decide on SHO-TIME, you’re clearly a good mentor. The Chinese is good but painfully slow, especially when you’re hungry.
Seriously, Redifer is like a death trap between 6 and 7 and then again around 9 when late night opens. I think it was even worse the week people were rushing because it was like literally everyone in a sorority was there. I really like where you’re going with this blog!
I would definitely say DO not go to the sub/wrap line at prime time lunch time, because the worth is totally not worth it…Just go a little later or a little earlier, and they you get what you want in a reasonable amount of time. Overall, this blog post just made me really hungry…thanks Mary.