Flik: R.I.P.

By SEBBY PARK ‘21 and CHRISTIAN WESTPHAL ‘21

We all remember last year’s “crispy potatoes” that were clearly french fries, the not-so-icy ice cream, and the watery, tasteless scrambled eggs served every morning. These memories were all elements of Flik Dining; however, we never remember the luscious cookies, the wondrous pizza at the snack bar, the delicious lunch smoothies for which everyone crowded around that small window, and the thoughtful Thanksgiving feasts that stocked the dining hall every month. People often focused on the negative parts of the company, but they never noticed the positives. Everyone always manages to find something wrong with what we eat, and while we have a right to know what we put into their bodies, we often dramatize the malignant aspects of reality. What aspects of Flik did Sage actually improve? Well, for one, the lines have been cut in half for the most part. There’s pizza everyday. There’s also bananas all the time. You can also serve yourself whatever portion sizes you desire! While some people claim Sage improved certain aspects, most of these actually prove exactly the same. Many may argue that the snackbar staff cook the chicken better. Others may argue that the pasta bar gives more choices. Some people may also say that the noodle bar variety expanded. In reality, the same snackbar staff cook the same chicken, the pasta bar is in fact even SMALLER than the Flik bar, and the noodle bar gives fewer options. Therefore, while there are some drastic benefits that came with the Sage transition, there are also many beloved elements of Flik that we lost. If we’re being realistic, Flik was no worse than Sage is. Both were equally sufficient food services, and we never realize how lucky we are to have such great food. While I’m not telling you to hate Sage, I think everyone should realize that we should appreciate Flik’s comparable status.

While people always exclaim how Sage’s food has greatly improved the dining services, at the end of the day, people always find a way to complain about school food by focusing more on the cons than on the pros. In two years, or even less, I can guarantee everybody will be complaining about Sage and asking for a transition to a “better” dining service company. We often do not realize how privileged we are to have such amazing eating options. So, I challenge you to not be the typical student. Instead, try to appreciate what amazing dining opportunities have been placed in front of you, and enjoy whatever dining company as best you can.

Milton Paper