Mia C: A Guide to BU Dining
Yes, the dining halls at college are as mundane as the myths say but there are ways to make it more bearable.
At Boston University, if a student lives in a dormitory residence they are required to be on a meal plan. There are five meal plans ranging from the 14-Plus, Unlimited, Kosher, 330, to 250 Plans.
Each dining plan contains a combination of meal swipes and dining points. Meal swipes are used to get into five dining halls located around campus. Each time you leave a dining hall, you will need to use another swipe to get back in. Dining points can be used at on-campus restaurants, cafes, or campus convenience stores and include Starbucks, Panda Express, and Raising Canes.
The BU website explains each meal plan in-depth. Now, I am going to delve more deeply into how you can make the most out of your meal plan.
As a freshman, I am currently on the 250 meal plan. On this meal plan, I eat at the dining hall once per day and I get more dining points than any other meal plan. Typically, I eat breakfast in my dorm, lunch at the on-campus restaurants, and dinner with my friends in the dining hall.
A tip I learned from personal experience is to begin the first semester with the 330 meal plan. Then at the beginning of the second semester, you change to the 250 meal plan. I did this myself at the beginning of my second semester and received a much greater amount of dining points than I would have if I started the year on the 250 meal plan.
Another function of Boston University dining that gets underutilized is the ordering ahead system. At BU, most restaurants and cafes that take dining points are on the Grubhub app. The Grubhub app has grouped restaurants based on location and allows you to order online using dining points.
This is my personal favorite feature of the BU dining system. It is a lifesaver to order coffee ahead of time so I can pick it up when I am running between classes. Each restaurant also displays wait times and in-person line wait times. Also as a BU student, you get a free Grubhub+ membership giving you access to unlimited free delivery for off-campus restaurants and other member perks.
Overall, dining at Boston University is fairly convenient and customizable to fit your needs, you just need to know where to look!
