BYU-Hawaii Club Dining kicked off the new Winter Semester with games, prizes, and all-you-can-eat cereal on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Students reacted positively to the treats provided and the event saying it was fun to participant in the trivia contest and eat cereal and donuts other than for breakfast.
The Club Dining Manager Marilou Lee said the feedback the Club gets from students about cereal is always positive. “We’ve had pancakes. We’ve had waffles. We’ve had French toast,” she said as she started to laugh. “You would think, ‘cereal? What are you going to do with cereal?’ But you know any event can be grand, or you can scale it down. Every semester we always have a Back-to-School event… We’re doing it to welcome our students back and to welcome those who [are new] and just to have fun.”
Lee said serving cereal might seem simple, but she considers this a large event for Food Services. She said it’s an opportunity for them to promote the Club and involve vendors that donate prizes for students who participate.
“No bicycles this time,” Lee said with a smile when asked what prizes they had in store, “but [we’re giving away] entire soda cases and different [snacks and things.]”
Club Dining Supervisor Katai Teava-Mariteragi showed off a bright red box of Fruity Pebbles Treats cereal bars donated by one of the vendors and adorned with ribbon. At the time of the interview, she was still hard at work curling the ribbon with scissors as she helped Lee prepare for the upcoming event. The two women, along with all their Food Services employees, said they have been working tirelessly but enthusiastically to put everything together.
At the event itself, Anna Stephenson, a freshman from Georgia majoring in biology, said she’s not a fan of cereal because it gets soggy, but she was going to play the guessing and trivia games anyway because “I’m always down for prizes.”
Sam Murphy, a freshman from Nevada with an undeclared major, said he’s stoked about the event. “I’m here to win some prizes and take home the big bucks. I did everything I could to win. That’s kind of my thing. I’d say [cereal is] a pretty staple food. I like cereal in the morning, but sometimes I have it for other meals too.”
Prizes offered to students included a large gift basket full of cereal bars, cheese, gummy snacks, and fried noodles, as well as hot cocoa mugs, T-shirts, Frisbees, and a Takeya ThermoFlask. Students had a chance to win by answering trivia questions and guessing the correct amount of Apple Zings on display in a large glass jar.
Brock Hansen, a freshman from Wyoming majoring in mathematics, was the lucky winner of a Coca Cola cup. He correctly guessed the first name of the eponymous mascot for the popular cereal Cap’n Crunch, which is Horatio. “It was cool. I was the first one to win and I needed a cup,” he said with a laugh. “This is great. All the food looks really, really good.”
Hansen was taking pictures with his phone of one of the tables displaying various cereal bars and donuts and said, “I had to send them to my family because this is really impressive.” To Food Services, he said thank you and good job. Hansen said this is his second semester at BYUH and he loves the cafeteria because of its great atmosphere and the people he meets. “And I love the food!”
As Sieg Coronel, a senior from the Philippines studying business management, loaded his plate with glazed donuts covered in cereal instead of sprinkles, he chanted, “It’s Cheat Day! You know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day… and for people who are trying to be health conscious and watch their weight… the best time to eat is in morning.”
Lee said she doesn’t want students to think the cafeteria is always the same, which is why the Club likes to do these special events. “It’s a monotony breaker for students. [Events are] something that is unusual for them. If they see something exciting like this, they’ll be encouraged to come.”
Inosi Kinikini, a sophomore from Fiji studying psychology, agreed with Lee when he said, “I love it. I really love it because [the Back-to-School event] is different. For me personally, I don’t like repetition….When they do something different and out of the ordinary, it’s really good.”
Kinikini said cereal isn’t a very big thing in Fiji, but since serving his mission and coming to the United States, he said he loves the convenience of it when he’s in a rush to get somewhere.
When asked what else they wanted to tell the students of BYUH, Lee looked at Teava-Mariteragi and asked her what they should say. Teava-Mariteragi immediately cheered, “Come to the caf!”
“Come and eat,” Lee agreed. “Use [your] blocks. For those who have not signed up for a meal plan, please sign up. Where else can [you] find convenience? Come to the caf,” she repeated, “Come meet people. This is where [students] mingle with people of different cultures.”
Lee said the Club is planning events for the students this semester, including a Korean New Year’s Day Cultural Dinner and a Lose Weight, Feel Great night, where healthy food will be served and different ways to exercise, like Zumba dancing, will be showcased.
“I’m thinking of doing a ranch fountain instead of a chocolate fountain,” Lee added, “with vegetables and cheese all around it.”
Writer: Emi Wainwright