After two semesters at Ferris and two semesters trying to change my diet and work out more, I’ve come to the conclusion that the nutritional health of students is far less important to Ferris when money can be made.
While I am aware that what I’m saying is painting the situation with quite a broad brush, I would like to point out a few things wrong with the picture I’ve titled ‘The University Center.’ The food stop known as ‘The Quad’ has two sides, one requiring meal swipes and one that requires cash. The meal swipes provide a plethora of food choices from sandwiches, hamburgers, pizza and fries, to popular dishes around the world and a garden station with fresh cut veggies, salad fixings and fruit. The other side of The Quad provides fast food options like hamburgers, chicken tenders, fries and a severely overpriced smoothie place. There is one redeeming quality to this side: the sushi. It’s affordable and offers a healthy option for those who don’t have meal swipes.
Did you notice what I did in that last little bit there? The only affordable healthy option for all students is sushi. No meal swipes required and every student regardless of meal plan can purchase and enjoy it.
Meal swipes can be purchased two ways; by number of swipes or roughly $2,000 for unlimited swipes for one semester. This evens out to be around $7 per swipe. Normally, $7 for an unlimited buffet-style meal is a steal for a college student. But what about those who are trying to eat a more balanced diet? Or students who would like an apple or banana on their way to class? Fruits and vegetables on the go just aren’t an option. Sure, if you wanted to snag a piece of fruit on your way to chemistry you could swipe in and stash the fruit in your backpack, but it would cost you $7 for an orange.
The right side of The Quad should start making fresh veggies and fruit available for students to quickly stop by and pay a more reasonable price. Making healthier choices more affordable and accessible to students allows us to have a better diet, rather than making the fast, grease-filled foods the best choice for a student on a budget.
It has been proven time and time again that when we fuel our bodies correctly our brains function better and our grades will begin to thank us.