I am recently committed to Umass Amherst. Why? You may ask. Yes, their academics are great. Yes, there are many great programs. Yes, there are many activities involving the school. There is one big reason why I chose this school and it is…the FOOD. From a Princeton study, Umass has been voted #1 for their dining in America. I can agree with this vote because I have actually tried their food multiple times. From my experience, walking into the dining hall felt like I was walking into a mall food court. There was this overwhelming feeling of variety, I didn’t even know what to choose from. Endless options being sushi, salad, chicken, pizza, and even dairy free ice cream. Me, being lactose intolerant… I was excited to see that there was that option. I tried it of course, it tasted amazing. 

            The foods that I tried were pizza, pasta, grilled chicken, and dairy free ice cream. The pizza overall was pretty good for college pizza. I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. The pasta was delicious topped with marinara sauce. I would give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Grilled chicken was not my favorite but it did taste good. It was 3.5 out of 5 stars. The ice cream however, was amazing. It was a 5 out of 5 star. I could not even notice that it was dairy free. Plus, there were toppings! Also, there was a variety of drinks that you could choose from. All of the dishes and cups were reusable. After dining, you put it on moving trays that go straight to the kitchen. This past Halloween, Umass served students with a lobster dinner to celebrate this holiday. How many colleges can you think of that does this? The students loved this and enjoyed this meal. 

          Yes, the food was great but the process of dining at Umass was very easy. You wait in line then go up to a scanner where you would scan your student ID. As you walk into the dining hall, there are different areas all around filled with a variety of options. You can grab more than one option as well as any drink. Filling up your cup as many times as you want. Take a seat and enjoy your meal! There is also another option of Grab n Go where you can choose whatever meal you would like and take it back to your dorm. This option is great if you are hungry but also wanting to head back to study or just relax in your own dorm. The dining halls are great and well organized. This is very important to college life since you will be living there a majority of your four years. 

The meal plan for freshman is accessible and easy to use. You choose how many meal swipes you have per semester. There is no problem adding more swipes but they do expire when the semester ends. I like this process because student will not feel limited with their options. There are also options for food allergies or restrictions. Walking into the dining hall, there is variety for everyone.

If you are a current junior, you should put Umass Amherst into your consideration. Not just for the food, but for the school itself. My bias opinion is the school is great and the vibes bring me joy whenever I go there to visit. There is endless things to do and it is so easy to make friends. This school also helps you with any career path and helps you prepare for the real world. There are so many endless opportunities at this school. From sports teams to clubs, there is always something to do. Although, this school is a big state school, it is easy to find your niche and friend group. Every person I know who went to Umass has said great things about it. I am eager to start in the fall and I can’t wait for lobster on Halloween night!