I’m one of many St. Olaf students who is a part of the 6 p.m. dinner rush during the week — I fear that it just works best for my schedule — facing the daily battle of trying not to spill my food and drink while shoulder-to-shoulder with my spatially-unaware peers. As I swerve my way out of Stav, something that catches my attention every evening is the amount of people waiting to use the panini press. That mini grill will always be in use no matter how crowded it is. But here’s my truth: In my four years at St. Olaf, I’ve never used the panini press before.
Listen, it’s not that I don’t see the appeal. I get that using the press opens you up to several more meal possibilities and ways to spice up your old, reliable favorites, which is especially nice when Stav’s offerings are getting repetitive. It’s the waiting that gets me. I will see swarms of people surrounding the press, six or more sandwiches squeezed onto it, all standing there as they wait for their food to be just right. However, they have to wait such a long time because everyone keeps opening and closing the top to check on their item, which means all the food takes extra long to actually cook due to the constant interruptions.
When I’m getting food in Stav, I’m trying to escape as quickly as possible, so I can find a place to sit and relax with my friends — and this is especially true when it’s super crowded. Also, I normally don’t have much time to eat, so every minute counts toward a satisfying meal. I’ve never cared enough to sit there and wait for the panini press when I’m not convinced that it’ll make my food all that much better.
“What about when it’s not crowded, or when you have a lot of time to eat?” This is a fair question. In these cases, I don’t think about the panini press because I typically have meal ideas in mind when I walk into Stav. Additionally, since I’ve never used the press before, it doesn’t occur to me that I could use it. It’s a cycle of remembering that it exists but not wanting to wait for it, then forgetting that it exists when I actually have time to try it.
I promise that I’ll try the panini press before I graduate. My friends have inspired me to try making a quesadilla with it. Maybe I’ll end up eating my words.
