University students have been making food in their dorm rooms since the beginning of the college experience, and Quincy University students are no exception.

Quincy students have access to The Cafe in the Student Center, depending on their meal plan and where they live, but that doesn’t stop students from making their own food creations in their dorm.

Some dorms provide more tools and space that give students a wider range of possibilities when it comes to food.

One student, Logan Colbert, lived at the Student Living Center, where he had access to a full kitchen. Having access to a full kitchen gave Colbert the opportunity to make food targeted towards a protein-based diet to help with his sport. He made protein egg bites, oatmeal, smoothies, and every once in a while, burgers. 

“Oh, and basically everything I put in oatmeal, then I put it on the griddle, I made a bunch of weird pancakes. Oh, and I tried burgers, but I kept setting off the smoke alarm,” Colbert said.

Other students with access to kitchen materials take a different approach. Carter Silva currently lives in the Woods dorm, which also offers a full kitchen. He often makes a wide variety of breakfast sandwiches, potatoes, and the occasional steak. 

Silvia considers himself a food specialist and keeps his cupboards stocked with all sorts of ingredients, including onions and potatoes. His freezer is also filled with his favorite smoothie ingredients.

“I consider myself a connoisseur of food, and I have the credibility to back it up. As a wrestler, I know what it’s like to be denied beautiful, beautiful food, so when I can have food, I can really appreciate it,” Silvia said.

Not all students have the same access to a kitchen. Some students, such as Soren Pine, who lives in the Willer dorm, have limited access to cooking supplies. She is limited to what she can make with a microwave, refrigerator, and a coffee machine, but that hasn’t stopped her from thriving.

In her common area, Pine has set up a coffee bar that some students, such as Savion Essiet, have compared to local coffee shop Carters Coffee.

“Wow, do you make Carter’s Coffee in here,” Essiet said.

The coffee bar is equipped with a coffee maker and an espresso machine that use plastic K-cups and pods to make it more convenient for college life. She also has over ten syrups to flavor her coffee, so she never gets bored.

With different kinds of access in different buildings, students have the opportunity to make different sorts of food and beverages in their dorm while still following the rules of their building; it just takes some time and effort.