Lobsters in Lab: Now We on a Roll

Well believe it or not, steamed lobsters are actually anatomically complete samples of the organism with nervous, digestive and circulatory systems all in tact.  Lobsters may quite possibly be the only animal that is served completely in tact and ready for dissection.  Think about it, most animals are served as cuts or pieces of the original organism, and even those small enough to be served whole (such as certain fish) are prepared in a way that removes the digestive tracts and other undesirable parts.  I would be interested to know if anyone knows of any other animal that is served completely in tact like a lobster, if so please comment below!

September 28th was no average day in lab for students in Biology 320: Evolution of Invertebrates.  As part of our unit on Arthropod anatomy, we had rather unusual dissection subjects, steamed lobsters.  That's right, lobsters.

You may be wondering how could this delicious delicacy possibly be used as an educational tool, and if so you're certainly not alone.  When I told my friends and family about this lab activity their initial reaction was that of jealousy at our obtaining lobsters, immediately followed by questions such as "How is that science?" or "So, what do you actually do at that school?".


So dissections were a smashing success, and we were able to note locations of all major body systems and organs within the lobsters, all the while harvesting that ever precious lobster meat for our consumption later on.  It should be noted that these dissections took place outside of an official lab room (where food and drink are prohibited).  Instead the dissections took place in the Davis Spencer Cafe in the Mars Science Center.

Final Product of Class Dissections: Lobsters Rolls and Dirty Bowls, gotta love it

Upon completing our dissections, the lobster meat was mixed with mayonnaise and freshly diced celery and made into lobster rolls for the enjoyment of the class.  Nothing like fresh Maine Bug Meat on a bun, am I right? And they said science was boring... 

Dining Around the Dimple: Super Neat Post

Dining Around the Dimple: Lobsters in Lab this post is super neat.

Late Night Chase

Why do many students eat late night food at Chase, despite it not being the most preferable meal to most students?

Late night Chase, while arguably not the most preferable time to eat during the day for most students, due to the unhealthy food that is often laid out. Most students still go to Chase around this time and eat late night because of their schedules, workload, or simply just because most of their friends are there.

I, myself am one of those students who often eats late night, due to my work and club schedule. I often don't finish until 8pm, thus only giving me time to eat during the night. Another Wheaton College student, Chanelle '18, said, "I often go to late night because I'm a Neuroscience major and I stay up very late studying on the daily, thus late night gives me the fuel to continue to work with my studies late at night." She also mentioned that it provides a study break for her and a chance to socialize with friends.

Most students entering Chase during the night are coming back from club practices, studying or after finishing their shift at work. Chase provides a space to socialize and take a study break for most of these students. Thus, most of them choose to eat late night not just because of their schedules, but because of the experience. In conclusion, late night chase may not be the most preferable time to eat for most due to to the unhealthy selections, but most choose to go for a study break/socialize or simply because the food that was eaten during dinner didn't fill their hunger.

Spicing It Up!

Spicing It Up 

Although Wheaton Dining Services offer a special menu for vegan/vegetarian students, they don’t always offer the tastiest meal. So I made it my mission this semester to stock up on spices because I know that if they can’t feed me right, then I will!!!

As I browsed through Emerson’s soup section for the day I quickly realized that they only had two options for the vegan/vegetarian menu and that these soups consisted of the butternut squash bisque and tomato soup. My first thought was that of dissatisfaction given the lack of options in food for that particular day, but my second concluded that I wanted to go with the butternut squash bisque. While serving myself said soup I noticed that the soup was a thick cream, which didn’t sit well with me because growing up I ate solid foods in my soup and so I expected solid ingredients in my soup. So, I decided to take a serving of rice, shredded cheddar cheese, oregano, and chili pepper flakes and poured it right into my bowl.

My addition of ingredients not only made the meal great but also bettered my dining experience because on that fateful day I concluded that no meal at Emerson would ever again go un-spiced.

First Year, First Impressions

Coming in as a first year to any school is an intimidating experience, and the immediate thing most students will do is to find comfort in their new home. This comfort is often times found in food, and so to find what first years think of the food and how it adds to the experience of coming to school, I spoke with some Freshmen (who prefer to stay anonymous). 

Their first impression were similar in the way that it seemed as if there were a lot of options at Chase. The pasta options are nice, and the regular vegetable options feel healthy, plus the special events on Wednesdays such as the lobster night makes for a pleasant experience. While these few things make it a nice place to eat on campus, after a few days of eating at Chase for at least two meals per day, it was obvious to my interviewees that the options would get old after a while, and lose the appeal that they first had. To add onto the fact that the daily options were relatively limited, being a vegetarian means there are even less options, therefore the meals get even more boring after a few days. The quality was also a concern to these students as one of they are aware of non organic, GMO, and processed foods, and the healthy benefits often lost in food when compared to the quality of nutrients in natural and organic food. Putting the actual food aside, the atmosphere of Chase as well as Emerson is very inviting, with nice seating and lots of light. It seems like this is important especially for freshman to be able to hang out with new people in a neutral environment, and so Wheaton seems to have definitely got that part down. 

So when the options are limited, and when one doesn't eat meat and would rather not eat less than healthy foods, how would the dining services act as a tool to make the adjustment to Wheaton easier. Well it seems like while the food might make it somewhat of a negative experience, the place itself provides more of a positive experience, allowing the first year students to ease into their college life.  From what I can tell, Chase offers up when it comes to the dining at and around the Dimple. Dining at Chase definitely plays a role in their college experience, but the role leans more towards a nice environment to socialize in while you eat, rather than great food where you can also see friends.