May Oo Khine

Due to the changes in instruction and in the grading system, our professors and faculty had to adjust their syllabus and original plans. This means changes in how tests are formatted, how essays are submitted, and how class discussions are held to accommodate time differences. A very thorough and clear syllabus available for students really helps us to understand what is to be expected!

In BIO12, we are expected to cover one module a week with lecture content uploaded on the Canvas page every Monday. This includes PowerPoint presentations, recorded lectures, and additional links to videos that facilitate our learning. We also have a weekly vocab sheet for reference!

We have weekly quizzes on each module that will make up the entirety of our grade for BIO12! These one-hour quizzes are through Canvas and the timer starts when you click into it. It is also open book, meaning we can have our notes with us the entire time.

In South East Asia, a salad means some chicken or another choice of protein in a spicy onion, tomato, chili, and ground peanuts mix. I was not familiar with salad dressing or adding fruit or corn in a salad and honestly, I wasn’t quite sure how I would like the glaring differences. This all changed when I decided to opt for a healthy option at The Courtyard Café and got myself a Southwest Chicken Salad. It is a mix of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, chicken, taco crisps, and beans in chipotle dressing. This salad really was a game changer for me — I can grab it to go and squeeze in a quick bite before class or easily save it in the fridge for breakfast. 
 

I love having lunch at Collis Café solely because of this dish on the menu. You can choose between steak, chicken, beef, or tofu with a side of white rice or brown rice. Add whatever vegetables you want on top and everything will be lightly fried in a sauce of your choosing: Szechuan, hot sauce, teriyaki sauce, orange sauce, or a flavorful spicy plum sauce! Take it from someone who has lived and breathed rice for 19 years, Collis did everything right with this one! 

Every weekday, The Courtyard Café puts out a different menu item in the self-service section. From mac and cheese Tuesdays to potato skin Thursdays, you can get a container or a plate and dig in yourself. My favorite is the burrito special where I can choose my own fillings from an array of pulled pork, bacon, cheese, salsa, and veggies! I usually leave out the tortilla because I like it better with just some brown rice and a scoop of sour cream. 

This was my first meal at FoCo right after winter break, on the day FoCo reopened. I’m sure you can imagine my excitement by the number of chicken wings and fries I had on my plate! I also had a Monte Cristo sandwich (a kind of French toasted ham and cheese sandwich), some sautéed spinach and onions, and brown rice with a mix of vegetables. I also like to create my own drink of apple juice, green tea, and a third mystery ingredient (chef’s secret)! Top this off with a side dish of kimchi, Korean pickled cabbage, and I am good to go! 

On this day, I had penne with garlic and chili lime peanut noodles, which has its origins in Thailand. Of course, I need to get my usual kimchi, some rice, and fries and a beef patty from the grill. If I’m really feeling healthy, I like to take my time at the salad bar and make my own mix of veggies: spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, and a couple of cherry tomatoes too!

Salmon is one of my favorites at FoCo! Whenever there’s salmon for dinner, I immediately make a beeline to the grill. I also had some fried flounder and chicken adobo, which is a type of Filipino chicken stew. I grabbed a couple of fries and a beef patty as well as some veggies (yes, to balance out the fries). Add some kimchi, a bowl of clam chowder, and a cup of warm salted caramel, and you’ve just made one of my favorite meals here!