quiest

Routine, With a Few Surprises

The caf in Blackburn is primarily a social space, so the quality of the food really depends on how hungry you are. Daily, there is a grill for fries, burgers, and quesadillas, a line for classics, a vegetarian station, pizza, pasta, a deli, and a southwest station for burritos, taco salads, and the like. Many complain that the cafeteria food becomes routine about mid-way through the semester, but the staff really tries to avoid this. There is an annual Halloween feast, Thanksgiving dinner, and even a nicer dinner before winter break where the food is supposed to be more reminiscent of home for students. Adjacent to the caf is the Punchout, an eating space that is more suited to the upperclassmen lifestyle. Options in the Punchout include a sub shop, better quality pizza and pasta than what's offered in the caf, an asian cuisine that offers the general chinese food, and a World of Wings. The Punchout is great for carryout, and freshmen are permitted to eat there because most meal plans have $150 in "dining dollars" that can be used in the Punchout and various places around campus. Dining dollars and bison bucks are becoming more comparable to cash in places on and off campus, like Potbelly and CVS so it's a nice alternative to carrying cash or a wallet full of cards. Howard China, or "HoChi" and McDonald's are also popular options for off-campus dining because it stays open until 2am or later. The worst part about university dining is its inconvenient times and high cost.

One Single Rule

Living on campus at Howard University is truly a blessing because it is not guaranteed, so any housing is better than none. Living on campus freshmen year is perfect because the freshmen dorms are closest to main campus. Sophomore year, most students choose to live in Meridian Hill Hall which is a short shuttle ride away, or approximately a 15 minute walk from main campus. The cost is pretty high, but it is easier for most students to live in a dorm than to try to convince their parents to lease a house in the area. Real estate in DC is anything but cheap. The social atmosphere of dorms may prove to be distracting to some, but it's all a part of the Howard experience. Housing priority is based on RSVP points, which are calculated by GPA and campus involvement in activities. I have no complaints about housing at Howard University thus far, except the visitation policy. This mostly effects freshmen girls and boys who live in single-sex buildings, but the majority of undergraduates would agree that for the price of housing, visitors of either sex should be allowed at any hour. The fact that there is a visitation policy is frustrating to most students because it is the one rule that students struggle to understand. At Howard, it appears as though there aren't any rules concerning any student activity except visitation. We're almost completely free.