I bought lunch on campus everyday for a week and my bank account is weeping

Any off-campus student will know the pain of having to get up 15 extra minutes early before that pesky 9am seminar to make a sensible packed lunch, only to find your sandwich has gone soggy by 11am. In an ever-constant cycle of trying to save money but then forgetting to go to Aldi and finding out all your food has grown suspicious blue spots, it can be easy to lose motivation and succumb to the likes of Greggs and Costa for your midday fix.

Personally, I try my best to be a responsible student, begrudgingly bringing my lukewarm soup to campus and declining tempting invitations to go to Fylde bar. However, just once I wanted to set myself free and indulge in a whole week of buying lunch at different places on campus. You heard me.

Monday – Greggs

There is truly no better way to start the week, and  I wouldn’t be a true Lancaster student without needing a Greggs fix every other day. I had to get a sausage roll, of course. I even braved the daunting queue that had already amassed at 12:50 – prime Greggs time. If I was smarter I would’ve gone a lot earlier, but I don’t have the energy for that level of organisation.

Tuesday – Spar Meal Deal

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You learn something new every day, and today I learnt that even attempting to pick out a meal deal in Spar is a complete battlefield. Having never purchased a meal deal from Spar before, I was bewildered by the speed at which people were making their choices. No wonder the sandwich section is devoid of food by midday. After a bit too much deliberation, I settled on a chicken tikka wrap, diet coke, and smokey bacon crisps, which I thought were prawn cocktail. I never realised how awkward it is to eat crisps during a lecture – it feels like social suicide. For convenience, I’d give it 10/10, but I couldn’t face fighting a fellow student for the last chicken club every day.

Wednesday – The Deli

To conquer the mid-week blues, I just had to treat myself to a delicious hot meal at The Deli. If you’re meeting a friend, or simply want to treat yourself to a nice sit-down meal for lunch, you should look no further than The Deli. It was the perfect spot, with perfect vibes, and a great variety of choices. I had the mac and cheese with parmesan and garlic fries which was nothing short of perfect. A visit to The Deli is definitely worth missing a seminar for.

Thursday – Subway

I am a strong believer that Subway is the backbone of our campus. If you’re stuck for what to have for your lunch then don’t worry, because it’s almost impossible to get bored of the different options available here. It’s also a very quick and easy option if you want to pick it up earlier in the day, then eat it cold halfway through a panicked library session working on your deadlines. I would definitely recommend the herbs and cheese bread, with a classic Italian BMT filling.

Friday – Sultans

Now by Friday I was getting rather tired of this challenge, but it really couldn’t be a complete week of campus eating without a trip to Sultans. As an off-campus student, it’s a rare occasion to walk through those doors and be greeted with a resounding “hello friend”, and any excuse to visit is greatly welcomed. Their cheeseburger and fries certainly did not disappoint and was the perfect way to round off my week.

There are many more amazing choices around campus for you to tantalize your taste buds, and this is certainly not an extensive list. This experience was very enjoyable as you can imagine, superbly effortless and totally convenient. But with a total spend of £29 on lunches alone this week, rest assured I will sadly be returning to mostly packed lunches from now on, as no amount of student loan could finance this lifestyle.

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