lucky&blue

My daughter will be a freshman this fall and will be living in the Russell complex dorms (no room assignment yet - just repeating what I read cc with regard to location of honors housing). We did not choose a meal plan and, apparently were given the 10 meals per week and the rest in points, meal plan. My question is, does anyone have an idea of what meal plan would work for a girl (who does not care about unlimited food), living in the russel complex who is also playing a sport and will be traveling with her team on many weekends? She seems to think the best thing would be to have less meal, more points. Also, would a fixed number of meals per week be better or the block plan? Any advice would be appreciated!

Mattmoosemom

I think your daughter has the right idea, especially since she will be away a lot with her team. My son started with more meals in the beginning and moved toward more points. There will be a period of time in the beginning of the semester when plans can be changed. I just can't remember how long of a period that was. Maybe someone out there remembers? Plus, she can change it for the 2nd semester, too.

NewHope33

Yeah, I think your D is on-target there ... the few meals the better. I don't recall what my D had fall of freshman year, but she reduced meals to the minimum for spring semester. Even though the dining hall is right next to Russell, my D and her friends preferred regular walks to Main Street. (She's not a big eater anyway.)

sopranodad819

I think you can change by sept. 15th but only one change.

llll

I get really sick of the options with points.

You are limited to a few fast food places in trabant And Perkins and I only like a few things at them. At the end of last semester I had to force myself to use up my points.

If you do the math with the block plan vs the weekly plan, it's the same number of meals per week. I considered a block plan but I'm afraid I will run out of meals at the end of the semester and be out of luck.

M880354

My daughter was a freshman in Ray St, so closest dining hall (Pencader) was a little bit of a hike. She started with 10 meals and dropped down to 7 or 8. She gave back meals every week. It does seem that you don't get many points in exchange for losing meals but if they don't use the meals, you're getting nothing. Points can be carried over from Fall to Spring semester. You need to use the points up in the spring though or you'll lose them. My daughter ended up buying stuff from the Christiana market with her leftover points at the end of Spring term. She'll probably go with the 125 block plan this year. Block plans were not available last year. But even 125 meals per semester averages out to more meals than she'll eat at the dining halls per week unless I can get her to stop keeping a supply of Stouffers in her freezer.

lucky&blue

thank you all for all of your advice. It was very helpful. I also called the school and found out that they have until september 15 to change it if they choose to change and as Sopranodad said they can only make one change. Thanks again!

herbrokemom

The new meal plans are a huge improvement on the old offerings.

oreoegirl14

I would do 7 meals a week and have more points! Plus, if this doesn't work out, you can always change the amount of meals you would like online within the first couple weeks of the semester. I always loved having a lot of points because Trabant offers some good things to eat such as Quiznos.