What Does "Nullum Gratuitum Prandium" Mean?

This article includes mentions of physical abuse.

In Prime Video’s Off Campus, Garrett Graham has a large tattoo across his back, with a meaning that speaks to the character’s core values, and the origin story is just as fascinating. The hit hockey romance book series by Elle Kennedy took the world by storm, and Prime Video knew that they’d have a hit on their hands with the onscreen adaptation, even renewing Off Campus for season 2 before season 1 released. The main characters will switch each season, and the first lets audiences dive deep into the relationship of Garrett Graham and Hannah Wells.

This starts with the opening scene of the show, which shows their meet-cute and their personalities. We see that Garrett works hard and has a cheeky sense of humor. What’s more, Off Campus shows us Garrett’s gigantic tattoo that says “Nullum Gratuitum Prandium” stretching across his shoulder blades in big, bold letters. In the Off Campus books, he has a fire tattoo on his arm instead. The tattoo in the show is much more meaningful, though.

Shockingly, the tattoo is never verbally acknowledged by the end of Off Campus season 1. Hannah never asks about the ink. He never brings it up, even though it would have made sense to discuss the tattoo at multiple points in the story. Instead, it’s just there, leaving the audience with questions to ponder. The tattoo literally translates to “there is no free lunch,” but it figuratively means that everything in life has to be earned; nothing is handed out for free. This phrase speaks to who Garrett is as a character.

Why Belmont Cameli Chose Garrett’s “Nullum Gratuitum Prandium” Tattoo

As explained in Teen Vogue, actor Belmont Cameli, who plays Garrett in the cast of Off Campus, came up with the tattoo idea, as it was his high school wrestling team’s motto. He thought it would connect with Garrett’s core values. The character’s entire drive is proving that he deserves his success. He won’t take a sponsorship that wants him and his dad together. He won’t let his coach talk his teacher into giving him a better grade just so he can play. He even puts his pride aside to ask Hannah for help with the philosophy class.

Garrett’s privilege certainly affords him more opportunities than other folks, like his best friend John Logan, but he also works tirelessly to prove that he deserves what he’s given. Besides valuing hard work, a big part of his efforts comes down to the fact that the legacy was created by Garrett’s abusive father.

With that in mind, Cameli believed the location of the tattoo was equally important. Any time Garrett puts on his hockey jersey, he has to be seen as Phil Graham’s son. The name is plastered across his back. However, when he takes it off, his core tenet, “Nullum Gratuitum Prandium,” is there, where his name used to be. The jersey and tattoo represent the difference between the version of us that the world sees and the version of us that we know to be true.

What’s more, the tattoo foreshadows Garrett Graham’s ending. His father congratulates him on starting the fight and then tells Garrett that he’s just like him. This represents the “Graham” version of himself that everyone sees. However, he responds by cutting his father off, representing the part of himself that wants to be defined by his hard work, not his father. It’s a really powerful moment, and the beautiful tattoo in Off Campus reflects that.

What’s Next For Belmont Cameli’s Garrett In Off Campus Season 2

Garrett looks at his coach in Off Campus season 1 episode 8

Prime Video’s Off Campus season 2 will switch to Allie and Dean as the main characters, but that doesn’t mean Garrett and Hannah will disappear. They will both return, becoming ensemble characters in the way Allie and Dean were last season. They will support their friends as their romance develops. There are still storylines to be explored in season 2, though, for Garrett.

Belmont Cameli told Bustle, “Garrett’s in a pretty serious hockey predicament in that he’s suspended. So, he’ll have to get back with the team. They still have a goal of winning the Frozen Four. He still is drafted to the Boston Bruins.” He also brought up that Hannah would be working her internship. With both of them focusing on their goals, they will have to find a way to balance their individual lives with their relationships.

Although Prime Video is switching the order of the Off Campus books, they will introduce Grace Ivers in season 2, setting up Logan and Grace’s romance.

Creator Louisa Levy shared a similar teaser to Deadline, saying, “[W]e actually have done even more work in season two to better understand Garrett’s position as a hockey player who has been drafted by the Bruins, but is still trying to finish out his college career.” She felt that they only scratched the surface of that situation. Levy also mentioned that there’s also potential for the Phil Graham storyline to come back around, though that’s less guaranteed. “We don’t tie everything up tidily in a bow. We never know when we might circle back to something.“

Ultimately, Hannah and Garrett got their happily ever after, but it isn’t the end of their story. They are still living their lives as Allie and Dean navigate their romance. Garrett will still have a lot of pressure to handle in Off Campus season 2, even if he and Hannah step back from center stage.