It was only a few months ago that we were standing wide-eyed in the middle of Allison baffled by the array of choices and stations. The dining halls were our oysters with each station beckoning us to try something different and delectable. Omelets! Paninis! A salad bar! Now, half-way through the quarter, you once again swipe your WildCARD to try and use up those pesky 13 meals a week, only to realize those chicken wraps you thought were so nifty the first week have come to taste exactly like everything else in the dining hall - bland. After meandering by every option, you realize that not one thing in your vast array of dining options appeals to you in the least.

At this point, many bolt campus to try and tingle their taste buds with the fare of downtown Evanston. Others stop at Norris between classes and use some of their measly 36 points on sushi or a crepe to awaken them from their dining-hall induced coma.

This, my friends, is the easy way out, and eventually you will have to eat at the dining halls again, either because you are a poor college student or because you will freeze to death before making it back to Panera. But with a little bit of resourcefulness and creativity, you too can break the endless cycles of stir-fry after stir-fry by whipping up your own dining hall creations.

Traditional entrées

Chicken Pesto Pasta

With all the selection of a barren wasteland, the ever-present pasta/pizza station has quickly lost any appeal. The alternative: a creation by Weinberg sophomore Carol Shen, its name is worthy to grace a fancy restaurant menu.

• Take noodles from the pasta bar and add pesto sauce, which is located on the salad bar or at a sandwich station.
• Add olives and mushrooms and any other veggies from the salad bar.
• Get a grilled chicken breast from the grill station and chop it into pieces to add to your pasta.
• Voilà! Now you have a custom dish that you didn’t even have to stand in a ridiculously long line for!

Chicken Parmesan

If you are a marinara loyalist, or have a bizarre phobia of vegetables, fear not! “You can make a 5-star meal out of crap,” claims Weinberg freshman Jonathan Schwartz. Simply by following these steps to make Schwartz’s version of Chicken Parmesan:

• Start with your basic chicken patty, and then top with marinara from the pasta station.
  Place a slice or two of cheese from the salad bar on top.
• Get whoever is working the grill to throw your creation on just long enough to melt the cheese on top.
• Eat alone or place atop some noodles to complete the classic dish.
• Don’t be shy to ask the dining hall chefs to do something out of the ordinary like grill your chicken parmesan or a pb&j because they’ve just about seen it all.

Satisfying your sweet tooth

The best way to end (or begin) your meal also lends itself to your creative inclinations. But even ice cream gets boring. The ultimate way to give your meal some kick is to go all out with a crowd favorite and late night staple.

The Waffle Sundae

• First make your basic waffle. “Add toppings from the sundae station like chocolate chips, pecans, or sprinkles straight into the batter,” recommends Weinberg sophomore Cindy Wu, to make this creation your own.
• Once you’ve successfully pried your waffle off the iron, it’s time for the fun to start. Anything goes, and caloric content should be the last thing on your mind. To top your soon-to-be mountain o’ sugar, use any and all of the following toppings: chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, a sliced banana, chocolate syrup, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, granola, marshmallows, cookie crumbles, whipped cream, ice cream, syrup or whatever else your heart desires.
• You can mix and match these toppings to make them as light or as artery-clogging as you want, which is the beauty of the waffle sundae.

Feeling especially brave? Add some saltiness to your sundae with some French fries or follow the example of some of the football players who dine at Foster-Walker. Stir-fry chef Tiffany Wallace works on the East side and has served up a few stir-fries straight onto a waffle — a sweet alternative to rice or noodles, if I do say so myself.

Beverages

Although the dining halls are equipped with many a spicket of soft drinks, juice, and milk, a “mixed” drink can add a little pizzazz to your meal. Pizza is boring, but not when it’s combined with this odd combination from Weinberg freshman Brit Hvide that “sounds disgusting, but is actually delicious!”

• Combine ¼ each of milk, Sprite, Coca-Cola, and orange juice and enjoy!

This maybe a little extreme (or vomit inducing) for the novice drink-mixer, but there are many other original drink options, including one that can help you skip the lines at Norbucks.

Iced coffee

• Fill your classic Styrofoam coffee cup about ¾ full.
• Fill the rest with vanilla soft serve and stir, making the coffee frothy and delicious.
• For a little flavor shot, add a couple hazelnut or vanilla creamers, which can be found next to the coffee.
• At this point, your coffee drink is tasty, but not so cold. Add a quick burst of Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper to make your drink even cooler and more original.

If worse comes to worst, or you’re too lazy to put thought into creating a concoction, just do what everyone does at their boredom breaking point: mix everything on your plate together (salad, main dish, sides, bread), pile it high, take a fork, and dig in. Mildly unappetizing but possibly your new favorite combination, if this doesn’t break up the monotony, I don’t know what will.

If you’re desperate for meal-time excitement, experimenting is the best way to go. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. If your concoction turns out to be nauseating, you can always go back and try again or grab a trusty bowl of cereal. But why stick with cereal when there’s a new dining hall creation just waiting to be discovered?