Leaving mama’s cooking behind is a hard step to take for any student heading off to college or university. Combine that with the horror stories of greasy, salty, sugar-filled food in the USA, and you’re probably wondering how you will survive as a student on an American campus?
Here are 3 things to remember when trying to adapt to American food as an international student on campus.
1. Meal Plans are Your Friends
Starting your new life as an international student on an American campus can be very overwhelming. So much information to take in, so many new people to meet, so many new things to try. It can quickly become hard to find time in your schedule for something as basic as grocery shopping. Thankfully, Go Campus provides you with the easiest solution to this problem: a meal plan of at least 14 meals per week included for all undergraduate students living on campus! Forget about carrying heavy grocery bags, just gather your group of friends and head over to the cafeteria for a meal together!
2. Variety is Key
American food is too often reduced to cheeseburgers, hot dogs and fries – this is far from reality. As the country is so big and diverse, American cuisine varies immensely based on the region you are visiting. Be sure to try your local specialties which will often be much more interesting than a sausage in a bun! The dining halls on campus offer a wide variety of choices, so don’t always head for the pizza stand, instead try to mix and match. Not only will this be healthier, but it is also a brilliant way to discover new flavors.
3. Sharing is Caring
Food is an integral part of all cultures. The American students on campus will be just as excited to discover the food from your home country as you are to discover theirs. Many colleges and universities will hold an event around international food cultures where students are encouraged to participate and share their food from home. Such events are also a great place to head over to when you are missing mama’s cooking and craving some food from home.
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