Greek yogurt: the dairy product of collegiate champions

Home Opinion Greek yogurt: the dairy product of collegiate champions
Greek yogurt: the dairy product of collegiate champions
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Students rave about the extensive salad bar and queue up excitedly for guacamole on “Taco Tuesdays.” A sprinkling of feta and blue cheese improves foam-textured spinach. Students endure long lines for falafel wraps.

Food in the cafeteria lately has been diverse and delicious, but Bon Appetit seems to forget an obvious food for Hillsdale’s unique academic and social atmosphere: Greek yogurt. Bon Appetit should offer Greek yogurt because it would enhance the experience of the Hillsdale student body.

Hillsdale instills appreciation for the ancient origins of Western thought and culture. In his Western Heritage class, professor of history Bradley Birzer recounts the bravery of the Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae with tears in his eyes. In American Heritage, our professors tell us America’s founding fathers were fluent in Greek by the age our first zits appeared. (Oh, by the way, Greek yogurt supposedly helps with that. It’s the probiotics.)

Junior Emily Barnum, a classics major, emphasized Greek yogurt as an important symbol of the value of classics.

“We should definitely have quality Greek yogurt — not just Greek yogurt — but quality Greek yogurt,” Barnum said. “Here at Hillsdale and in the classics department we don’t just value dabbling in the ancient works, but really understanding at a deep and legitimate level the ancient languages. I think offering quality Greek yogurt in the cafeteria will help fuel our minds and our hearts and our souls to better receive our heritage and flourish in this environment.”

To bring an edible experience to this rigorous study, classics students should be able to fuel translation sessions with a cup of Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt, while encouraging study of the past, also strengthens relationships on campus. Hillsdale’s Greek system unifies students from diverse backgrounds, challenging members to strive for excellence. It stands apart from the systems of other colleges with positive culture and goodwill between houses. Freshman Reagan Cool, a member of Chi Omega Fraternity, said she believes the Greek system needs the cafeteria to support this special aspect of campus life and their efforts toward good character.   

“Our Greek system is one of the strongest aspects of our social atmosphere at Hillsdale and I’m very proud to be a part of the system that my mom was a part of several years ago,” Cool said. “In order to sustain the Greek system for its values and not for any flaws — because we do all have human flaws — I think it’s important that we have support from the administration, even in the details of our cafeteria.”

To reach full potential, Greek members should feel encouraged by staff and students alike in their choice of college experience, from the classroom to the cafeteria, reminding them of their Greek roots.

Hillsdale welcomes students from around the world, excited to share the unique education with young men and women across continents. But Hillsdale, Michigan — isolated, cold, and small — can be a bleak change of scenery to the warm and beautiful environments these students leave. For juniors Steve and Christos Giannakopoulos, members of the basketball team, Hillsdale doesn’t compare to their hometown of Athens, Greece. But Greek yogurt is a taste of home.

“I would say that Greek yogurt for me is a great way to start my day because I can combine it with granola, honey, or fruit,” Steve Giannakopoulos said. “At the same time, it is filling, healthy, and gives me energy for the day. That’s what I eat pretty much every morning when I am back home.”

The Giannakopoulos twins came all the way from Athens to make the basketball team stronger. They deserve Greek yogurt. Set out with the desserts, there should be both plain and strawberry yogurt, with honey, cereal and other fruits as topping choices. Just the way Steve eats it at home.

Ms. Timmis is a sophomore studying English and journalism.