As I walk to the building’s entrance unsure what I will find on the other side of the glass door, I take a big breath and prepare my stomach for the worst. The last time I was here was during summer camp and I am pretty sure I starved myself. But something has changed. Oh yes, something has seriously changed.

As a prospective student looking at universities it can be extremely difficult to remember all the important things you should know about that university. One thing you should never overlook is the food you will have to eat every day for the next year as a freshman at that university. OU’s newly renovated Couch Restaurants is second to none, the best food you will eat as a freshman anywhere!

I walk through the glass doors of Couch Restaurants and immediately have sensory overload. This cannot be the freshman cafeteria at OU! The amount of food was overwhelming but the amount of technology was too. How many flat screens are in this place? The woman behind the register takes my card and with a swipe I am given complete freedom – all you can eat.

I walk to the middle of Couch Restaurants and immediately accept the challenge before me. I will not lie…I had no idea where to start. It must have been apparent. As I stand surrounded by tables full of students savoring the food on their plates, a man in a “Housing and Food” shirt walks up to me and asks if I need any help. I kindly reply, “No thank you. Only I can accept this challenge.” After all I was the only one that could satisfy my growing hunger.

I begin to look around and observe what other students do as they walk through the glass doors and the woman behind the register swipes their cards. Salad. I could start with that. I head to the huge salad bar full of options. I did not think I would have to start making serious decisions with a salad…so many options: spinach, spring mix or romaine, onions (red or white), peppers (green or red), eggs, cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or feta), tomatoes, carrots, and more. On no they didn’t…sunflower seeds! Are they reading my mind?

After I make the best salad ever, it is time to find a meal. Oh the options: an all-day breakfast bar (with hot and cold items), Sooner Smoke House (with burgers, brisket, hot dogs, barbecue), the stir-fry bar (with made to order stir-fry), Del Sol (with made-to-order burritos), the Vegetation Station (with vegetarian and vegan items), the Chef’s bar (with home-cooked meals), the made-to-order pasta and pizza bar, Chick-fil-a, Athens Café (with Mediterranean items), and Freshen’s Smoothie Company. I decide to conquer the stir-fry…extra crushed red peppers please!

Lastly, desert. The dessert bar has several items catered by La Baguette, a local French bakery. Need I say more? Chocolate galore and Starbuck’s coffee!

When you visit OU, and any university for that matter, make sure to eat at the “real” freshman cafeteria. You will love the food OU has to ofter. Come try it for yourself!