In the broke, busy and ever-hungry lives of young college students, food is a high priority. Time and money, however, are tricky competitors. To accommodate this, NIU should ensure all-you-can-eat style dining halls are available in each residential building. 

As a resident of Neptune, I am very grateful for the dining so easily at my disposal. While there is always the option of pizza or chicken tenders for those in disagreement with the specials of the day, Neptune dining changes its meals daily and offers several hot options for diners to choose from. 

The dining hall is buffet style, which allows diners to eat as much as they like while they are within the hall, from the delectable salad bar to the table of desserts in the back. 

Such buffet-style halls are also much more likely to accommodate the needs of diners with dietary restrictions, offering clearly labeled vegan and vegetarian options at all times. 

Not all dining halls at NIU, however, hold such variety. 

Sharonda Nixon, a senior majoring in health science and a resident at Stevenson A, said she’s been eating mostly at Neptune recently. While it’s inconvenient to make such a long trek across campus for food, eating at Stevenson every day grows tiring.

While Stevenson does offer multiple foods, the menu is generally the same, serving such items as chicken tenders, pizzas and sub-sandwiches. 

“Honestly, I would say that [Stevenson] definitely needs a lot of improvement because no one wants to eat the same stuff everyday,” Nixon said. “So I feel like it’s convenient for most people to eat here, but it’s like, at some point you’re tired of eating the same thing and you need a break from it.”

Nixon also notes that some Stevenson residents rely on food-delivery services for their variety, but UberEats and DoorDash costs can be high.

In recognizing this lack of accessibility, NIU students would benefit greatly from the implementation of buffet-style dining halls in all residential buildings.