Students adjust to a new form of campus dining
Despite new COVID-19 protocols, students shared mostly positive with this semester's dining experiences and the temporary takeout program.
Whether it was installing plexiglass or mandating social distancing guidelines, campus dining at Central Michigan University looks different than years past. However, students eating at dining halls ave gotten used to many of the procedures put in place.
Students are encouraged by CMU officials to dine at residential restaurants in their living communities to limit contact between students. However, Fresh Food Company located in east campus is popular among the students Central Michigan Life spoke to.
"Although students are strongly encouraged to dine primarily in the residential restaurant within the living community where they reside, they are allowed to eat at other residential restaurants," said Nikki Smith, district marketing manager for Campus Dining. "Accessing late-night dining in Merrill Residential Restaurant is a great example of when walking to a different restaurant might be appropriate."
As of Sept. 17, Central Michigan University reported nine cases during the week of Sept. 14 to 20, with 12 cases reported the week prior.
“I wouldn’t say (declining cases) put me at ease,” said Roseville senior Alyssa Schultz, who works as a greeter at Fresh Food Company. “Even if the cases are declining, who knows if it’ll keep declining or if it’ll increase again. The uncertainty is still there no matter what, even if I have to go to work and classes.”
Since Schultz was interviewed, CMU saw a slight increase of 16 new cases during the week of Sept. 21-27 and another increase with 21 new cases during the week of Sept. 28 through Oct. 4.
At work, Schultz is the first employee to interact with students coming into the dining hall. She wears gloves and sits behind plexiglass.
As a new protocol, students are asked to swipe themselves in for entry. Schultz said her main task is to make sure students correctly swipe their student identification cards and wear a mask.
She said the majority of students that she encountered have worn masks. During the first week, she said some students forgot their masks, so she gave those students disposable ones.
“It’s been (about) five weeks, students kind of know the drill now,” she said. “I personally haven’t had any problems.”
Inside the cafeteria, Schultz said she’s noticed students struggling to social distance because of the building layout.
“Lines usually form (during) weekdays (at) lunch and dinner peak times,” she said. “I don’t think it’s the students' fault, because they have no idea when other people are going to walk down to go eat, sometimes it just happens like that.”
Clarkston freshman Adam Sprague said his friends were asked by an employee to social distance. He said he and his friends listened, spreading apart from each other.
“We social distance, get our food, we walk to the same table and then take our mask off right next to each other,” Sprague said. “It's like we had our mask on then, why did you have us separate?’”
Other than that incident, he said dining-in experiences are good. Sprague said every once in a while, he uses the takeout option.
CMU installed a temporary takeout program as an alternative to dining inside CMU's four residential restaurants. Students can ask the greeter for a reusable takeout container and grab a to-go cup. About one-third of meal swipes used this semester have utilized the new takeout program, Smith said.
Grand Rapids freshman Caeley Tallon said she uses this alternative in-between classes. Sprague said he hopes the university continues this option for students “after" COVID-19.
