<p>The title says it all. Can anyone share their experiences with meal plans and on-campus dining?</p>
<p>absolutely not, but of course theyd love to sign you up 
freshman used to be required, im not sure if they still are. also, i dont have the numbers in front of me, but buying a meal plan and even assuming you use every swipe (a big if) saves you very little than if you were to just pay the going rate. the best thing to do is just put money on your one card and go from there.</p>
<p>As far as meal plans; they are a convenience and whether or not you choose one really depends on what and how you like to eat. The all you can eat style plans offer a lot of choices and can satisfy a lot of tastes.</p>
<p>Unless you are a big breakfast eater choose the block plan with 120 meals and then do about $400 in dining flex dollars because you can use block meals ANYTIME you want to whereas the set meals per week plans have to be eaten at the designated times.</p>
<p>There will be a ton of free meals the first few weeks of school and during WOW (Week Of Wonder if it’s still called that) sponsored by all the clubs and groups as well as fraternities and sororities etc.</p>
<p>You can add dining flex dollars at any time and they carry over to the second semester. If you do too big a meal plan you will be feeding everyone you know trying to use them all…you have to trust me here…we were warned too…they used to have different numbers of meals like 180/150/120 and we did the 150 (even after being warned we thought we knew better) and my S ended up giving a lot away and still had a lot left over that were lost.</p>
<p>The food may not be worth the price, but I do think that having a meal plan for your first semester, if not your entire first year is really important. It is just a really easy way to meet new people and hang out with other people. I’ve had a meal plan for two years and although the food is nothing to brag about too often, it is fine and being able to hang out with your friends in the dining halls is an advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked.</p>
<p>I actually recently purchased a meal plan, the 160 block one, though thinking back I knew I should have done the 120 block one, but since this will my first semester at college, I want to be extra careful and be ready just in case something happens. :)</p>
<p>AuburnLatina</p>
<p>You can reduce the meal plan anytime you want to prior to classes actually starting. Like I said, unless you are a person who absolutely knows that they will eat breakfast EVERY day (which once in college isn’t going to happen ;)), reduce it to 120 right now and increase your dining flex dollars to $400 or so. As I said, you are going to have the chance to eat a lot of free meals the first few weeks of school as well and, if as your name implies, you are a female, you will NEVER use 160 meals.</p>
<p>Don’t forget, you are also going to be meeting friends on Franklin St for pizza or Thai food or a jumbo burrito. Don’t overdo the meal plan…you will be feeding everyone you know at the end of the semester trying to use up the meals you are about to waste. If my son couldn’t use them all I highly doubt that you will. You need to trust those who have already been there.</p>
<p>If you look like you are running short of meals you can always add dining flex dollars and any extra will carry over to the next semester. They won’t carry over to sophomore year so you need to manage them better (add $$ in smaller increments) the second semester.</p>
<p>Remember; you can’t carry over meal plan meals, but you can carry over flex dollars to the second semester.</p>
<p>Drop the meal plan to Block 120…save your money…</p>
<p>Get a meal plan. Like others said, it’s not just for food, it’s a good way to meet people. Heck, even if you’re not a freshman and/or you don’t live on campus it’s a good idea to have one (there’s a commuter meal plan available). My friend decided not to get a meal plan this year, and now she feels really bad because she always has to mooch off of other people if she’s eating at lenoir. Anyway, she’s one of the only people I know that doesn’t have a meal plan, and the only person I know that lives on campus that doesn’t have a meal plan…and yeah…she regrets not getting a meal plan…</p>
<p>The commuter meal plans look pretty good. I’ll definitely also look into the One Card option. Thanks guys.</p>
<p>I’ve really loved the meal plan, but this is important: NO ONE uses the 200 meal plan. I mean, those people exist, but they’re the exception. I say get the smallest one you can, and if you’re an incoming first year by the end of the semester, trust me, there will be plenty of people willing to swipe you in and take your meals up.</p>
<p>I’m a vegetarian and am super happy with all the stuff they have for me to eat. They throw it up and have variety, and listen to your comments. Their cakes used to be inedible, now they’re not. Stuff like that. When I got back from being abroad (I’m a junior) I went off the plan and now I’m back with the commuter plan.</p>
<p>Flex money is also great, but remember that it doesn’t roll over every year.</p>