I was feeling homesick one day, so I took a trip over to the Wendy’s at the Curry Student Center, in hopes of forgetting about home while I gorged on fast food.

Back at home, I would usually stop by the local Wendy’s, the only fast food place I will eat at for a lovely Chicken Nuggets Kid’s Meal. I recently figured out that for the perfect price of roughly four-dollars, I could get a little bit of everything: a small Frosty, four piece chicken nuggets, a small drink, small fries and a toy! Everything is mini-sized, so if I was still hungry, I just had to add a 99 cent five piece chicken nugget.

Back at the Curry Student Center, everything was perfect, or at least in my mind it was. When I walked up to the counter to order my meal, I glanced at the menu. I thought for a second that the Kid’s Meal wasn’t up there. My mind must have been playing tricks on me. I looked again. No kids meal! What is this? Just because I’m in college I can’t order a Kid’s Meal?

It’s not like I have to be under the age of 12 to order one, anyone can get a Kid’s Meal. At this point, I became very angered with my favorite fast food establishment, and Northeastern too. Does the school think that Kid’s Meals are not sophisticated enough for its students?

Perhaps some people need those toys to brighten their day. If you opened up your Wendy’s bag and received a race car, or a cool Nickelodeon toy, would you become horribly upset? No, because it adds joy to your day.

For the next four years am I doomed to open up my Wendy’s bag only to find chicken nuggets, some measly french fries, and an empty cup which I have to fill up? The thought of the empty cup made me mad as well. I like options. I do not like the generic one-sized cups which I have to keep refilling. Is Wendy’s trying to tell me that I have no self control? That I will keep returning to the soda-fountain every time my cup is empty? I like being able to choose between small, medium and large. Usually a small and a medium are both 99 cents. Why can’t I just get a small cup for 99 cents? I promise, I won’t refill it!

After this outrage, not only did I have to jump back to reality, but I had to think quickly. I limited myself to the 99 cent menu. It was horrible. I ended up getting chicken nuggets and french fries, all in a plain white bag. I dragged myself over to a table and sat down. Reaching for a fry, I realized I had no ketchup. I wandered around looking for ketchup pumps. The dining halls have them, why can’t Wendy’s have them?

I was handed four packets of ketchup, which I then had to squeeze out on to the bag my food came in. This made the bag soggy by the time I had to throw it out.

The Wendy’s in the student center has to step it up a notch. I may be able to deal with the “one size fits all” cup and the ketchup packets for a while, but no Kid’s Meals? I’m not ready to grow up yet. Let me have the Kid’s Meals while I’m in college. When I graduate, I’ll probably be too concerned with cholesterol to eat at Wendy’s. I’ll like things like whole wheat bread and Raisin Bran. But can I have my youth for a few more years please?

— Danielle Livoti is a freshman journalism major.