I’m a freshman and never had to experience the “dreadful caf” that existed before November 2013. My opinion on the newly established “Kitchens” is completely unbiased. 

When I went on the tour of the school and saw The Kitchens, I was in awe about how big it was. 

There were so many things to choose from and I was excited to hear that as a freshman, I had an unlimited meal plan.

Since I eat the cafeteria food three times a day, every day, I have a pretty good idea what the kitchen offers us starving college kids. 

From being at home with my mom for most meals, to having a variety of foods at my fingertips, it can be overwhelming for me to navigate the kitchens and decide what to eat. 

In The Kitchens, besides the salad bar at lunch and dinner, most of the food isn’t the healthiest to choose from. 

With pizza, pasta and French fries laid out on the buffets, the freshman 15 is on the edge of our fingertips. 

It’s difficult to remember that freshman fifteen isn’t a myth. 

With college being about getting an education, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to us college students if the Kitchens offered more of a balanced diet besides pizza and curly fries? 

Yes, if you really want to be healthy or if you have a dietary restriction, the kitchens would make it possible for you to eat.

As an average college student, we are enticed by carb-loaded food because we aren’t bound by parents monitoring what we put in our mouths at all times. 

Why not have an extra slice of pizza without your mom looking over your shoulder? 

And those French fries you’ve been eyeing, pile them on your plate because you’re only young once.

Although the gym is right across from the Student Center, I find it difficult to become motivated to work out on a regular basis. It’s sometimes hard to find spare hours in the day to go and exercise.

For the most part, when we do have some time to spare, we often just feel like returning to our dorms to either take a nap or watch Netflix. 

This way of thinking is one of the many reasons, along with the fattening selection of food from the dining hall, that the freshman 15 is a real fear for incoming freshman at Sonoma State University. 

It may sound like I am painting The Kitchens in a negative light, however, I consider the dining hall to be good. The variety of food, though may not be the healthiest, is always fresh and delicious. 

From their array of pizzas and pastas to their extensive salad bar selections, it makes a trip to the cafeteria something to look forward to after a long day of classes. 

Also, the atmosphere in The Kitchens is very homey. It is always enjoyable going with a group of friends to share food and have good conversations.

I can honestly say that I applaud the new dining hall and look forward to enjoying many more meals in the newly established Kitchens cafeteria.