By Jon Fuccillo/The Torch
jonfuccillo@lcctorch.com
Not to play the cliché of being a hungry, broke college student like a broken record, but the facts are facts. I’m exactly that – a hungry, broke college student.
In other words, I’m a cliché.
For many students, faculty and staff members – getting food on the fly becomes first nature during a busy day. Stopping at the campus cafeteria for grub becomes a habit; and I get that, both mentally and physically. Like most of you, I’m a part of that high percentile of folks making daily pit stops in the cafeteria.
One of the problems I’ve encountered here is that our food supply isn’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination.
I’m not blaming anyone on campus specifically for these high prices. I’m just curious as to why? Why so darn expensive? Is there reason to charge students so much?
I’m no expert in the field. That’s why I’m throwing these questions out for discussion.
A simple solution for all: bring your own food, do your own shopping, and decide on a conservative budget for food.
Responsibility isn’t always a simple task. It comes down to priorities and decision making. Things I struggle with on a daily basis.
Just last week, I made the mistake of being stranded on campus for a full production cycle of The Torch (14 hours) without bringing food from home. Four trips to the cafeteria later, I could feel the agony my wallet felt from the lack of cash left over. I had just spent $30 on tasty, but over-priced campus food.
Bad Jon! I had to slap my own wrists for using such poor judgment. Once again – not to say that the food is bad here on campus, but it’s too expensive for the average student trying to make ends meet.
However, I must give kudos to the fine folks running the cafeteria throughout the day and evening. Once again – the food is quality, but overpriced. The only item worth the price is the $5 create-your-own sandwich.
There is another alternative to fixing these price problems: Check out the ASLCC Snack Shack on the second floor of Building 1. They have coffee, soft drinks, muffins, bagels, granola bars and even sandwiches and other snacks for a price next to nothing. The only catch — it’s cash only and they don’t have the variety that the cafeteria offers.
The Snack Shack also offers free coffee on Wednesdays.
Life would be so much easier if we could set our own limitless budgets. But I don’t see that happening in the near future and you probably don’t either. So for now we must act smart and we must act now.
