I cannot lie. I stared at a blank page for about an hour trying to think of how I could possibly write a testament to my last four years in this wonderful place in 600 words. Eventually, the only thing I could think about was how hungry I was at the moment, so considering my Villanova experience through the lens of food seems as good a place as any to begin.
My freshman year was full of Spit fare, with my amazing friends found through COVID-style freshman year orientation. Over a Good Earth Bowl with Korean barbeque sauce, we would dish (pun intended) about the updates and gossip of the moment every evening at 6:30 p.m. It was during these daily dinners that I came to love Villanova amidst homesickness and uncertainty if this was the right place for me.
Sophomore year meant Pit and Conn became staples, but I also began to branch out more into the gourmet institutions gracing the Bryn Mawr area. At institutions like El Limon, Crust (may she rest in peace), Fellini’s, Otto by Pulpo and more, I gathered with new and old friends and grew to appreciate the Villanova community more and more.
That year, I was also lucky enough to become an editor for The Villanovan, introducing me to University-funded snack binges in the Corr Hall basement every Tuesday night with an amazing group of sleep-deprived, Oxford-comma-hating people. My classic order from the weekly Conn haul – a bag of White Cheddar Popchips and a White Monster – brought me so much joy, but not as much as laughing with Bella, poking fun at Colin and Matt or gossiping with Vivi did.
Junior year brought the delight of international food during my Fall Semester abroad. Together, with the group of four girls from Villanova that came to Lille, France with me, I explored Belgian beer, fries with mayonnaise, saucissons and the intriguing options at French dining halls. Meeting up with other friends in Italy, Amsterdam, Prague and Spain, my palate grew along with my gratitude for my Villanova people that traveled with me and the ones that I missed back on campus.
Upon my return, I finally experienced a semester at ‘Nova with access to a kitchen in my apartment on West Campus, a true godsend when I (famously) broke my ankle and was scooter-bound for months. Coming back from the hospital to a perfect midnight meal of soup and toast whipped up by my roommates, Carly and Jackie, was a perfect antidote to news that I would need surgery.
And, now, here I am as a senior. I would argue that, from this year alone, my friends and I are responsible for keeping Ekta Indian Cuisine and Yamakazi Ramen on Lancaster Ave. in business. Over piping hot dishes and massive portion sizes, I have spent such amazing times with my favorite people thanks to these and other restaurants. And, of course, no week is complete without dinners with my roommates Ryane and Caroline in our lovely little home on Railroad Avenue, chatting, giggling and shopping when we should be getting work done.
There are too many lovely little random gastronomical moments over my time at Villanova to write about here: dinners with my perfect Kappa Delta family, exploring bone marrow on garlic bread with my boyfriend, Bruce, roommate bagel runs to Up Ryes after a night out and so much more.
The key theme, though, is that all of these memories center around the people I was with, my community here at Villanova. This school has given me so much more than a life-long curiosity about who exactly the Carlos is behind Carlos’s Braised Beef at Pit. It has given me friends that I know will be in my life forever.
Becoming a senior has been a cruel blessing. I have had the last four years to find amazing food and even more amazing people to eat it with, but now I’ve run out of time to treasure it. Eat well, ‘Nova, but more importantly, find the people here that make the food taste better.
