December on a college campus has a distinct energy—one that feels like a blend of exhaustion, excitement, and sugar. Dorm hallways smell like peppermint hot chocolate and microwaved ramen, study rooms fill with holiday snacks, and shared kitchens suddenly become busier than they’ve been all semester. Students bake cookies for club parties, meal-prep for finals week, or try to recreate comforting holiday dishes that remind them of home.

It all feels warm and nostalgic, but it also creates the perfect conditions for something no one thinks about: a rise in foodborne illness linked directly to the chaos of shared college kitchens.

The Perfect Storm of Crowded Spaces

Dorm kitchens were never designed to handle December traffic. They’re meant for occasional microwaving, not for entire floors

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