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GFF College Dining Survey Responses

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Geneva

New York

Survey Date:

Jan 7, 2020

Survey 1 of 1

Student:

Sophomore

With:

Egg Allergy, Milk Allergy, Peanut Allergy, Shellfish Allergy, Sesame Allergy, Tree Nut Allergy

Student's Summary Assessment:

College Dining:

A-

Surrounding Area:

A+

Rationale for Grades Given

There is at least one option for me at every meal however the options sometimes aren’t the best and become repetitive

For a small downtown there are quite a few places that have been very accommodating. My favorite places out to eat are Eddie O’Briens, Beef and Brew, and Char Burrito

Details About this Student's Food Restrictions

How many years ago were you diagnosed with food allergies or celiac disease?

5+

If you indicated celiac or gluten intolerance, how sensitive are you to gluten?

​

Add details to help us better understand your food restrictions (e.g. sensitivity level, potential reaction, need for EPI pen)

I carry an Epi-pen everywhere I go as all of my allergies are anaphylactic. When ingested my throat will become “scratchy” and occasionally my breathing will become more difficult

Details About this Student's College Dining Experience

Does your college handle food restrictions as you expected when you decided to attend?

Mostly what I expected

Have you had a reation from eating in your dining hall?

YES

If Yes, describe each incident and how your school responded

The reaction was minor as I was able to take Benadryl and monitor myself rather than having to need the epipen and the emergency room. I reached out to the chef after the fact and he immediately wanted to meet with me to figure out what had happened and get it all sorted out.

Did you register your food restriction with the disabilities office? If yes, describe

No we tried first semester but they took longer than expected for them to get back to me and by then I had figured out how I was going to eat and it didn’t feel necessary. We’ve since wanted to register but keep missing the arbitrary deadlines

Are there resources to help with nutritious, safe dining (e.g. dietician)? If yes, describe

Yes I have multiple contacts in the kitchen including the head chef and another chef

If you were in charge of dining, what would you change? Would your school be open to suggestions?

I would add more “comfort food” options into the rotation of meals provided for food restrictions

Describe your biggest challenge managing your food restrictions at college and how you deal with it

Biggest challenge has been socially having people (no longer friends) not want to come to the dining hall with me because they didn’t like the dining hall food and caused me to sit alone in the dining hall for most of my freshman year.

Advice for Incoming Students:

Housing:

Did your food restrictions impact your housing decisions?  Any dorm recommendations

No however the on campus house I am currently in does have a kitchen allowing me to have more options than just the dining hall

Dining Halls:

Any advice for managing dining halls?  Favorite dining halls? Any to avoid?

Establish a relationship with the staff in the dining hall. Only dining hall on campus is Saga. The cellar pub and Au Bon Pain have very limited options for restrictions that I am now trying to explore a bit further.

Meal Plans:

Describe your meal plans over the year(s). What's mandatory? Any suggestions? 

I have had the unlimited plan both years and it was required the first year but not this year

Dorms:

Any advice for eating in the dorms? Favorite snacks? Places that deliver? 

Always have a can of soup or some microwaveable dish in your room (if a microwave is available) for when you don’t feel like leaving your room either because you’re not feeling well or the weather is bad. Belvita bars and 88 acres seed bars were a go to for food before classes. Good Karma yogurt was also a heathy treat when I could get it at the local Wegmans or bring it up from home but has since become scarce in both regions

Getting Started:

What should students do before school starts or when they first arrive?

Talk with the kitchen staff and establish that connection and locate where the nearest food shops are to campus so that you can get food when needed. I would also look into renting a microfridge (one with microwave) for the dorm if a regular microwave isn’t allowed.

Socializing:

Advice on managing parties or dinners out with friends?

I don’t typically go to many parties but when I do go out I resolve to not eat or drink anything that is provided unless there is a label and it hasn’t been opened by anyone else. But otherwise from what I’ve seen there isn’t much provided so it’s mostly focused on dancing, meeting people, and having a good time with friends

Other:

Any other advice or comments?

My advice is both for college in general and managing your restrictions is to prepare for the worst but hope for the best. A lot of things will get thrown at you your first year of college that are completely out of your control and while it’d be great if everything went your way, it’s not guaranteed so have a back up plan or two so that it’s not the end of the world if things don’t go to plan

Meal Plans:

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