Depending on what you feel like eating, whether it’s after a successful workout sesh or long hours of studying at the library, you’re bound to find a place on campus with food that will suit your cravings.
The Student Union is healthier than you’d expect after just a first glance. Hidden behind the glowing and popular Chick-Fil-A and soon to come Steak ‘n Shake are much healthier options if you opt for a lower calorie meal.
Of course, the words ‘healthy options’ may vary depending on the individual, but they always carry similar traits: Low calories, mostly natural and pretty fresh.
If you’re hungry for a sandwich, you don’t have to worry about picking one from a menu that only partially satisfies your cravings. On Deck Deli custom crafts your sandwich for you on the spot — you even get to choose your bread and add sauce of your choosing. They have several meat options, ranging from salami to tuna. I personally am a big fan of tuna sandwiches, and before discovering the On Deck Deli, I could never really find that perfect tuna sandwich, but now I know just the place to go whenever I crave one.
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Smoothies are the ideal healthy drink for many, and there are many places to grab one on campus.
IQ Fresh offers a selection of fresh smoothies, among other nutritious offerings. If you want to make your own, you just choose ingredients from their list, which is perfect for those who don’t like a specific ingredient that may appear in some of the signature smoothies. They’re a perfect combination of a rich refresher and fresh fruit, ideal for a healthy treat. IQ Fresh also offers a wide range of salads, fruit cups and fresh wraps, including flax seed or spinach wrappers.
Now we know there are healthy sandwiches and wraps in the Union, but what other healthy eats abound?
Well, the union has its own salad bar too. Core lets you create your salad and experiment with fruits and vegetables combined for a unique and maybe even exotic taste. If you’re like me and aren’t a regular fruit and vegetable mixer, you might find yourself in a bit of a tough situation. Don’t worry though, because they’ll recommend different sauces that best suit the ingredients you’ve picked. Once I added a unique combination of strawberries and pineapple to my salad, and when faced with their variety of sauce options, I had no idea which one to pick in accordance with the other meat, grain and vegetable ingredients. All it took was a simple, “What would you recommend?” and you’re recommended a tasty complimentary sauce.
You can also find fresh pressed juices and seasonal produce at the Nrich Urban Market. They offer many different healthy snack and meal options with infused waters for when you feel like a little detox.
The UA campus not only has many healthy restaurants, but also hosts the Campus Health clinics, which are accessible to all students and really easy to use. Whether you book an appointment in advance or go to the walk-in clinic, you’re bound to be taken care of quickly.
Of course, you’re never safe from those sudden ill feelings that may occur during class, so the health clinic has you covered and can even provide you with an absence note. Cool right? Just don’t abuse that element of their service.
Campus Health offers so many different services for everyone’s needs and has a good referral office. In fact, I went there not too long ago after my UA Campus Health doctor referred me to a specialist.
They can book an appointment for you at a convenient clinic and time, and you’re all set without having to do that much. To some students, the words Campus Health resonate as a place where they only deal with big health issues, but even for the slightest cold, they welcome you to get checked up and prescribe the appropriate medications needed for your recovery.
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It’s convenient that the clinic has its own pharmacy — this is a very practical option for students who do not have a car and need to pick up prescriptions, even if they were not prescribed by a UA Campus Health doctor.
Student life is most certainly stressful, and being so close to so many different people may make you more prone to getting sick. Having the Campus Health on-site makes dealing with these issues that much more bearable, and who knows, maybe they’ll end up recommending that you go get yourself a fresh smoothie or salad from the Union after your visit.
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