<p>I called admissions and they recommended signing up for the normal dining plan. I looked online and this is like 1060 points, 275 terp bucks, and 15 251 north side meals</p>
<p>What does this mean, and what can I buy with this? Why have people told me that you can only buy 2 meals a day with this or something</p>
<p>EVERYBODY gets that one.</p>
<p>You get $1060 to spend at the diner (breakfast/lunch/diner) over the semester.
You get $275 to spend at the convenience stores.
You get 15 buffet (all you can eat meals) at 251 (that’s the name, I know its kinda weird). </p>
<p>You must go to 251 once a week or you “lose” a buffet meal (i.e. you CAN NOT save up buffet meals). If you go to the buffet place more than once a week, each additional time you go, it will cost ~20 diner points. Basically, you get one buffet a week and it cost ~20 diner points to go each additional time.</p>
<p>People say two meals a day because 1060 points/~106 days (everybody gets out of finals at different times) = ~10 points/day. Remember points=dollars. 10 points/day is more like one and half meals a day, but when you factor in going home for the weekend and eating out, it comes out to about two meals a day.</p>
<p>I get the plan with $375 worth of Terp Bucks. I go to the convenience stores a lot, I would run out way too early with just 275. But it depends on each person.</p>
<p>I’m also a light eater I guess, because I always have so many dining points left over (and I don’t substitute Terp Bucks purchases for meals, I just seem to always get the things that are cheaper, just because I like them better). I know people who get salads a lot especially have problems with points at the end of the semester. But if you know someone like me who has extra points, they can pay for you when you go together. That’s what I do for my roommate.</p>
<p>Thanks. what do people usually do for the third meal?</p>
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Do the majority of in-state students do this? I’m coming from OOS and I’m a bit concerned about the possibility of everything dying on the weekends…</p>
<p>True! 1.5 meals a day so does that mean you have to eat out a lot?</p>
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<p>No campus is plenty lively on weekends. Most people don’t go home, the dining halls are just less inhabited because a) commuters aren’t there and b) people are more likely to eat on Rte. 1 or whatever. It’s actually a good thing because you don’t have to worry about lines. But campus in general has plenty of people still on weekends. </p>
<p>Also people are asking about a 3rd meal, but from what I’ve seen most people don’t eat breakfast. Usually there’s just not time with class, because it means waking up earlier too then. Typically people just eat lunch and dinner. Even on weekends, the dining hall opens at 11am and closes at 7pm, so really most people aren’t even hungry enough to eat 3 full meals in that time.</p>
<p>Sun-Thurs. there’s late night too, so you can eat there too so sometimes that could be a third meal or just like a milkshake or something. </p>
<p>Another option for lunch is the food court in Stamp. If you don’t get Terrapin Express you have to pay cash but people eat there for lunch.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind 251 is all you can eat, so that’s one dinner a week you don’t have to worry about points for. (if you live on North Campus, which most freshmen will)</p>
<p>Most people dont eat breakfast…?
Isnt breakfast the most important meal?</p>
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<p>I guess, but I don’t think it really hurts anyone here for not eating it. If you have a big test I would recommend it, but otherwise, meh. I have two 8ams and a 9am, and when I go to the dining hall (just to grab tea) before class, it’s practically empty. Choosing to eat breakfast means you have to leave that much earlier for class, and the dining hall might not be on the way to your class building.</p>
<p>Most people I think get their morning class(es) out of the way and then eat lunch. 11am the dining hall isn’t too bad yet, around 12:30-2 it is a madhouse.</p>
<p>I grab a bagel (<$1) in the morning if I’m not running late and two subs (one for lunch and one for dinner) and usually a fruit each day, which is about $14. Sometimes I just don’t eat lunch/dinner (I’ll forget or I’m just not hungry) or I’ll get a quesadilla or some smaller meal in place of a sub (subs are one of the more expensive options).</p>
<p>On the weekends I get pancakes (which are actually really good and cost less than $4), in place of lunch. </p>
<p>If you’re worried about running low on points, just drink water (sodas/juices are at least a $1) and eat-in (carry out is an extra quarter and the carry out drinks cost a bit more than the eat-in ones as well if your not drinking water). </p>
<p>So how much do I spend?</p>
<p>5 x $13/14 + 2 x $9 - $10 = $73/78 a week</p>
<p>The -10 is the all you can eat night (remember you get a once a week pass for that). I’ll usually eat a smaller lunch the night I go out to 251 (the name of the all you can eat place). </p>
<p>I go home every 3-4 weeks for a weekend and bring back snacks, so it evens out. This also doesn’t take into account meals from any other places (free dinner from school functions, eating out, etc.)</p>
<p>I’m definitely on the leaner side because I’m a runner (6ft, 150 pounds), but I think I eat enough. Then there is the $275 you get at the convenience stores, which also pays for extra snacks (though that usually runs out quick).</p>
<p>Thanks! Is it easy to find friends to go with, or do you sometimes go by yourself</p>
<p>Is it true that they’re cutting back on serving turtle soup year round, now only offering it during football season?</p>
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<p>It’s pretty easy for dinner usually. Lunch is a little harder because everyone’s got different class schedules, but you can also get all your food to-go and can just take it back to your dorm if you’re in a rush or want to eat in your room. It depends how many friends you have that you eat meals with too I guess.</p>
<p>No love for my turtle soup joke? 
By way of explanation, it was a reference to the men’s basketball team being on the rise!! (hopefully football will follow eventually…)</p>
<p>People seem to be mentioning eating out a lot - do most people eat out often, and are there a lot of affordable options near campus?</p>
<p>I eat out once a week (like Saturday night) at most since I’m cheap. My friends go out to eat a little more frequently than I do (one or maybe two nights a week). Its typical college food on route 1: Five Guys, dominoes, independent pizza places, chinese food, etc. Stuff you wouldn’t want to eat everyday even if money wasn’t an issue. Everything is a little pricey but no more than $10-12 for a meal.</p>
<p>Sorry for not getting the turtle soup reference. I’m not a big UMD sports fan (<em>GASP</em>) Actually, if anything, I’m a little mad at UMD for cutting cross country and track! Runners get no respect…</p>
<p>also not mentioned is that many/most of the places around campus deliver, so the opportunity is handy to avoid “dorm food” and not going out to get it! By the end of the first year of food from the dining plan, both Ds seemed to be in the ordering-out routine a lot.</p>
<p>Is it expensive to do all this ordering out?!</p>
<p>Bumping up this thread…I’m sure these questions will come soon. Any changes to the food plan from last year? Any current comments/advice to incoming freshmen?</p>
<p>Whoever said people don’t go home on the weekends is a liar. Depending on the weekend campus can be a dead zone (except football and basketball weekends). People who live near by tend to go home a lot (idk why). Also, as for breakfast, most people I know just keep cereal or breakfast bars in their room (get a mini fridge for milk). You honestly probably won’t have any if much time to go to the diner to get breakfast before class especially if you don’t live in the community right in front of it. As for running out, it depends on the person. I had over $300 dollars left last semester, but I knew other people who ran out before December. Just get whatever dining plan you think will work for you and you can always add money to it later.</p>