As a millenial, your parents probably told you that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. You would dive into a well-balanced breakfast and probably didn’t have to worry about where and when your next meal would come from. For some college students their next meal is a puzzle. In a recent poll conducted by Feeding America, 49.3% of college students chose academic expenses such as textbooks and laptops, over food. Almost half of college students would rather go hungry and focus on their studies.
These students represent a new generation of college students. Many are struggling to find food and have looked to campus food pantries to satisfy their hunger. These struggles have been called, “Food Insecurities,” by the Department of Agriculture with good reason. Ronald C. Jackson, dean of student affairs at Brooklyn College in New York City was quoted in a recent New York Times article saying, “People lack access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle.” These lifestyles are further tested with the amount of academic rigor associated with particular institutions. It is not just that students don’t have time to eat, rather they lack the resources to do so.
To combat the problem, colleges and universities across the nation have opened food pantries. These pantries, run by schools such as State University at Stony Brook, Michigan State, and the University of Maryland are a few of more than 184 schools around the country, that are supplying emergency food supplies to students. In a recent article from Higher Education Today, Christopher Nullem attributes these higher numbers to the rise of nontraditional college students, and higher tuition prices, that cause numbers of students to choose opportunities over their appetites. This, in turn, causes them anxiety and stress.
Are food insecurities an issue on the campus here at Conn? I reached out to both Christopher Manfredi, the General Manager of Board Plan and Victor Arcelus, Dean of Students. When I asked Mr. Manfredi how many students are currently on a full meal plan, I learned that in the college’s Comprehensive Fee, all students are entitled to a full meal plan. However, if they choose to live in housing with a kitchen they can opt for a reduced meal plan. It is important to consider that there are a select number of students who choose to commute to the college on a daily basis. Dean Arcelus says that the biggest food insecurity that students face at the college is how they will eat when they stay on campus over breaks. The college is working to improve access to break meals by allowing students to stay in houses, such as Lazrus, that are equipped with kitchens and also by providing them with gift cards to area grocery stores to help supplement the cost of meals.
While I realize that we are fortunate to have real food on our plates, we should acknowledge the work it takes to prepare the food. It is important to eat, because proper nutrition is a key element in succeeding in school. The students who face such insecurities, struggle to find affordable, healthy food. David A. Tomar, in an article for The Best Schools, argues that malnutrition is a real issue on college campuses. Food gives the brain substance and allows for more focus. Students who eat well-balanced diets are shown to have made deans lists all over the country, and are also more active in class discussions. In conclusion, students at Conn should take advantage of having full meal plans and make healthy eating choices. •
