As Winter Term begins, students at Carleton College aren’t just pondering what classes to take, which dining hall is better or when to reunite with their friends. Instead, a new question is plaguing campus. Literally. Carls are wondering if they have come down with norovirus, or if it was just the meal they had at the Language and Dining Center (LDC).
“Let’s just say I wasn’t doing so hot on the first day back,” said Dia Rhea ’28. “I couldn’t sit through any of my classes, and I spent the whole day in the bathroom. In Watson. Do you know what that does to you?”
Rhea shared that when they looked up their symptoms, they felt certain it was norovirus, a common pathogen causing stomach flu-like symptoms that typically spreads through close contact and contaminated surfaces. A college campus, especially when students are coming from all over the world, is a perfect breeding ground for the virus.
“I thought, case closed, I have norovirus,” said Mable Sirrup ’29. “But then I remembered that when I went to LDC earlier, I had some ham and pineapple mac-and-cheese and an orange. Sure, the orange was half unpeeled and moldy in some spots, but I figured BonApp wouldn’t serve it if it wasn’t safe.”
Rhea had a similar observation. “I ate some of the alfredo pasta and fries before I was sick. It was not the best meal, which, when my head cleared, made me wonder if I had come down with norovirus or just had a slightly-worse-than-average LDC dining experience.”
Rhea and Sirrup are not the only students to experience norovirus-like symptoms after eating at LDC. In light of this trend, Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) has stepped in.
“Norovirus is not an uncommon occurrence on college campuses, as so many students are living in close quarters. However, dining hall food is always top-notch and made to agree with students’ digestive systems, and LDC is no exception,” said SHAC staff member Russ T. Intestine. “I believe students’ symptoms could possibly be a result of norovirus, but their second guess should not be the highly nutritious and appropriately seasoned meals they enjoy in our pristine dining halls.
Despite SHAC’s statement, Carls are still concerned and are still debating whether their nausea, vomiting, and disturbing bowel movements are a result of LDC or norovirus.
“I mean, what if this happens every week? I shouldn’t feel like I’m taking my life into my hands every time I pick up a sloppy joe,” said Sirrup. “I just want to know what’s causing me to feel this way.”
