Column: Food considerations

As finals roll around the corner, there are many things to consider and reflect on, such as the noble student. Watch their furtive looks as they decide to deal with their last minute studying by drinking as many energy drinks as they can. Watch them try to master sleep by eating a combination of junk food and sugary candies. Their crazy eyes and jittery hands holding Monster, Redbull or Full Throttle are two of the many signs you can see of a student that has gone over the edge. This, to say the least, is a warning of what not to become during finals week.

But really, it’s kind of entertaining. You’ll notice as the week wears on that more and more students will claim their spot in the library, in the many study rooms on campus and in the cafés downtown. They’ll study night and day until their finals are over and then collapse as soon as it’s done. These students look forward to the time after finals when they can relax, hang out with friends or party hardy. They’ll relax by sleeping for days on end when the quarter lets out. And they may even party in the clubs and bars of downtown Davis or Sac or throw their own house party.

If you’re over 21, some clubs and bars to consider in Davis are Uncle Vito’s, G Street Pub, KetMoRee, Plainfield Station, Froggy’s, The Davis Graduate, Sophia’s and probably more that I’ve forgotten or don’t care to mention. Vito’s, Froggy’s and G Street are regular bars to go to downtown. Plainfield Station is out in the middle of nowhere in northwest Davis off of County Road 98. It has a pretty big biker bar feel to it, which is exciting if you like that sort of thing (Sons of Anarchy!). The Grad is well known for its country line dancing and the sports games they show on one of their many TV screens. Watching the World Cup with a friend while rooting for España and eating a tasty burger is one memory I’ll always remember from The Grad. KetMoRee and Sophia’s are also cool places to go. KetMoRee can gather a pretty big crowd since it has a huge dance floor. Sophia’s used to have a wheel you could spin for a free drink on your birthday, but some loser broke it so now they have dice to throw.

The end of the quarter is definitely a time for celebration, but sometimes it’s also a time for reflection. As I lay on my couch eating Snapea Crisps and watching “Antiques Roadshow,” I ponder my life and how I ended up here, on a couch, eating Snapea Crisps. I try not to get too bothered by my situation. In fact, it’s better than the alternative: lying on a couch eating chips and ice cream. But through it all, I wonder how it is I make my food decisions, and what past life experiences are affecting those decisions.

It’s honesty time, dear reader. When I was growing up, I used to go to McDonalds every week and collect happy meal toys. I also used to eat ice cream every day until I reached middle school. My habits weren’t the best, but I didn’t realize it at the time. Shoot, man, I was a kid.

But now that I’m mature and grown up most of the time, I think more about what I eat and how it will affect my health in the long run. Remember that even though something might be cheaper, it doesn’t mean it will last as long or be as good for your health as something more expensive. An example is when I bought the cheapest chips at Savemart. I opened the bag, looked inside and saw that only a fourth of the bag was filled with chips, the rest being air. I was outraged, and that’s when I decided that cheaper isn’t always better.

Now for the final food tips of the week you will ever get! Cold season is still going strong, but this is OK. In the past week, I’ve fought off sick people with my bare hands and succeeded staying healthy with the help of vitamin C-laden Kern’s Nectar. It’s tasty and soothing to the throat.

And here’s another FYI for your enjoyment. My dear reader Joy mentioned to me that the Co-op does a thing called “budget menus,” where they come out with daily recipes you can make for the week. The recipes are cheap and easy to make if you aren’t accident prone, and they’re healthy. Excellent.

JENNIFER RICHWOOD wants to wish everyone a healthy and cheap holiday. She also wants to give a special shout-out to her friend Kelsey whom she mentioned practically every week without naming, which was hilarious. E-mail Jennifer at jcrichwood@ucdavis.edu to say your goodbyes.