The period after freshman year, when students' mandatory meal plans have ended and their survival culinary skills have yet to kick in, is an awkward one. Rather than purchase the expensive, but convenient meals in John Jay-averaging between $9.20 to $11.50-many students opt out and attempt to feed themselves. How well this works depends on students' ingenuity.

Ben Heller CC '09 sustains himself on his own cooking and, sometimes, on cartons of cheese poofs "for days on end." Periodically, however, he will take all of his food and make a giant stir-fry.

"My last experiment consisted of chili, pasta with meat sauce, chicken teriyaki, four eggs or so, some cheddar cheese, basil (lots of basil), and some chocolate-flavored peanut butter," he said. Heller claims the concoction turned out well despite its haphazard origins.

For some, eating is more a question of avoiding starvation than staying healthy. "I eat a lot of cereal instead of actual food. Cereal and Ramen," said Winston Nguyen, CC '09. Nguyen says that if students don't know how to cook, it's a good idea for them to find other people who can and make a meal together. "Everyone together can figure out what they're doing," he said.

The high cost of meal plans was one factor in Lily Kelting, BC '08's decision not to purchase one. "Also I have many allergies so I like to know what I'm eating," said Kelting.

Kelting's 616 W. 116th suite has a kitchen, where she regularly cooks for herself and tries to stay healthy. "We now have a table, so that we can all cook and eat in various stages and it's much more social," she added.

John Teal, SEAS '08, said he cooks around four times a week now that he has bought a fridge to store food.

"Pasta, hamburgers, whatever's simple, whatever doesn't have a lot of ingredients," he said of his typical creations.

In addition to nearby supermarket Morton Williams, Fairway on 132nd Street and 12th Avenue, and Apple Tree Market on 120th Street and Amsterdam are large food stores that have good quality food for reasonable prices.

Additionally, much ready-made food can be found in the Morningside Heights area.

Teal said the transition away from meal plans didn't affect him, except at the wallet.

"It's much cheaper now. Even eating out is cheaper."