The other day, immersed in my Spanish homework in my dorm room at Princeton, my roommate Jose suddenly stirred from his nap. He glanced at his phone screen, jumped out of bed, and sighed dramatically, “Late meal is almost over!” before rushing out the door.
I watched him go, completely bewildered. I’d never quite grasped his intense dedication to “late meal.” For those unfamiliar, Late Meal is a fantastic option from Campus Dining for students on the meal plan. Essentially, it gives each student two $8 credits daily – one for a late lunch and one for a late dinner. It’s designed for students who, due to classes or meetings, miss the regular dining hall hours, ensuring they don’t go hungry. Makes sense, right? But Jose’s almost religious commitment to late meal seemed… excessive.
Consider this: Frist Campus Center, where late meal is served, is a good 12-minute walk from Forbes College, our residential college. Yet, Jose would sometimes deliberately skip meals at Forbes to trek to Frist, even on freezing winter nights. And sometimes – get this – he’d eat at Forbes first, and then go for seconds (or thirds?!) at late meal! I was genuinely perplexed. Why the extreme devotion? That day, I decided to solve this mystery and ask him point-blank what the deal was, right after he got back with his late meal bounty.
Jose returned about an hour later. Before he could even unwrap his chicken quesadilla and fries, I hit him with the question that had been consuming my thoughts and derailing my Spanish verbs: “Jose, why do you go through so much trouble for late meal?”
He stopped in his tracks, genuinely offended. “How dare you?” he exclaimed, his face flushing with mock indignation. He seemed speechless, as if my question was beyond comprehension. It was a comfortable 50 degrees Fahrenheit in our room, yet he was practically sweating with disbelief. He stared at me, trying to gauge if I was serious and if I even deserved an explanation. He dramatically removed his coat as I stood there, impatiently waiting for the revelation. Finally, he was ready to enlighten me on the bedrock of his late meal obsession.
That night, Jose unveiled the secrets behind his love for late meal. And in that moment, everything clicked. It all made perfect sense.
Jose started by explaining that he often isn’t hungry during regular cafeteria hours. He prefers to eat later when he’s truly hungry, and late meal fits that perfectly. Plus, he trusts Frist’s consistent menu. He knows he’ll find something he enjoys. And the variety! Quesadillas, burgers, sushi, chicken tenders, fries, onion rings… the list goes on. He knew he’d rarely be disappointed. Sometimes, there were even delightful surprises – spring rolls, dumplings, or pizza making an appearance. On days when he just wanted a snack or something to take back to our room for those late-night study sessions, he’d grab chips, chocolate chip cookies, and a muffin. If he was feeling healthy, a box of grapes and a banana were also options. And as long as it all stayed under that $8 credit? It was all his. Free Food Is Free Food, as he succinctly put it.
But perhaps the biggest draw, the core reason for his obsession, was the social scene. Frist Campus Center is already the beating heart of student life at Princeton. On any given day, you’ll find student groups promoting events, engineering students collaborating on problem sets, philosophy majors debating life’s big questions, and econ students battling it out in table tennis or billiards. Now, add free (or rather, included) food into that mix, and you get the vibrant, buzzing atmosphere of late meal. For Jose, late meal isn’t just about the food; it’s a quintessential Princeton experience!
After that conversation, I never looked at late meal the same way again. My perspective completely shifted. Forever. And yes, my eating schedule changed a bit too!
