Scavenging as the Points Get Low

Published April 25, 2007

By Julie Bilodeau

That last power boost smoothie left you gawking as the Marche cash register blinked a dismal $1.37 left on your points. Shit.

With less than a month to go, a good portion of on-campus residents are about to get acquainted with their more creative side of survival.

If you find yourself stalking the halls searching for the recently delivered Leonardo’s pizza in an effort to scam a piece from never-spoken-to-before floormates or making dinner out of the remaining contents of your minifridge (salsa, cream cheese, beer, chocolate milk) it may be time to reevaluate.

1. Join the “Free Food on Campus” Facebook group. It is a good way to meet new people, expand your scene to include University catered events, and most importantly, score some free chow. If all goes well, your new friends will be other no/low-pointer folk like yourself, a necessary change now that your old crew ditches you to hit up Simpson Dining Hall while you sulk at home with your hand in a stale bag of Tostitos.

2. Learn to spot those I-don’t-know-how-I-have-like-four-hundred-points-left! students. Put your charms to use and you’re likely to score a free dinner. Offer to cook up the Annie’s mac if they buy, and wash the pot afterwards if you want a repeat. Soliciting yourself outside dining hall entrances is for the extreme cases, (those of you who have been pointless for over a month already qualify); it’s destitute yet bold, and worth a shot, but only a few times per week.

3. Head downtown for some good food options at low prices. SmokeJacks offers a beefy bargain with half off its hamburgers on Tuesdays. Shalimar and India House both offer Sunday buffet brunches. Key word: buffet. That translates into both breakfast and lunch.

Great Harvest is an absolute gem for a destitute individual. Upon arrival you are offered a free slice of warm bread and butter. Huge nutritious loaves cost under $5. The cinnamon swirl bread makes the most bombadere French toast known to man (just add eggs).

The day old bagels and pastries at City Mark-up and Stone Soup don’t taste too stale at all, and if you get in line at the last register near the hot bar at City Mart, you can snag some free bread slices while you wait in line.

Complete loss of points happens to the best of us but sustaining yourself on a diet of ramen, popcorn and expired Chef Boyardee canned goods is not necessary. Learning to mooch successfully and politely is essential to your mental and physical well-being as final exams approach.

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