By Kristen Oliveri

It is Friday night and you are in your dorm room patiently awaiting your handsome date’s arrival. Your hair is perfectly done, your outfit resembles something Kate Hudson wore to the last MTV Movie Awards and those butterflies in your stomach are at an all-time high. Your date mentioned dinner and a movie and, after a long day of classes, you were ready for your romantic meal. He picks you up from your room, he whisks you down the hall and escorts you across the street to one of the Northeastern dining facilities. OK, so it isn’t exactly fine dining on Newbury Street, but at least it is part of one of the meal plans. Northeastern offers a variety of different plans to choose from to allow students to customize their own culinary desires. Underclassmen are given a choice of four different meal plans. The most expensive and the most plentiful are the 19 meals a week plan that costs $2,275 per semester. Running a close second, is the plan that offers 15 meals a week for $2,100. The other two plans consist of ten meals for $1,825 and five meals for $925. By purchasing of the meal plan’s offered to the student body, three of the top facilities on campus are at the student’s disposal. Levine Marketplace is located at Stetson East Residence Hall, behind that is Out Takes and Stetson West Eatery at the Stetson West Residence Hall. “I really enjoy the different types of food available to us. I’ve become a major fan of Stetson West’s delicious stir fry,” said freshman Maria Manfre. Upperclassmen are given the option to create their own customized meal plan that fits the individual needs of the student. The Profiler plan gives students the option of either 110 meals for $1,030 a semester, 86 meals for $800 or 50 meals for $475. The Profiler, unlike the mandatory freshman meal plans, bases the number of meals available to students on the entire semester. The profiler carries the meals over week to week, allowing the plan to be more flexible and cost friendly. Middler Alex Cocchiola agrees. “I find that the Profiler plan works well for the upperclassmen because when you’re off campus you tend not to spend as much time in the cafeterias,” said Cocchiola. “This way you can save money and eat whenever you feel like it.” Other than the cafeteria services at the university, students also appreciate the wide array of restaurants in the surrounding area. One may find eateries on campus such as The Wrap, Au Bon Pain, Chicken Lou’s, and Wendy’s. Students can use their Husky Card to pay for their dining. For the adventurous student, there are other restaurants, eateries and supermarkets off campus that accept Husky dining dollars. Some middle class establishments, such as Uno’s Pizzeria, Conor Larkin’s Grill and Tap and Ruby’s Place, may serve as a step up for most college students. It has become apparent to younger and older students alike that food is not something that is scarce on this campus. With all the plans and deals and different ways to balance your food budget, students at Northeastern should not be never left hungry.