During my first week back on campus, I was given the news that there would be no more to-go options at the Rock Café.
I am aiming to earn both my bachelor’s and associate’s within four years here at Ferris. Unfortunately, that means I am taking up to 16 credits each semester. I find myself very busy, hopping from class to class and then to work. Last year, I relied on the to-go system at the Rock for a lot of my meals during the week.
Due to the removal of to-go, I often find it hard to eat certain meals, such as breakfast and lunch some days.
The Rock Café was renovated this past summer where they added a ton of new features, however, they also changed their hours and took away the to-go option. They took the containers away because students were leaving food to rot in them and then bringing them in to be traded for a new box, leaving the old box with rotten food with no place to go but the dish room.
I can understand the frustration with the spoiled food, in my personal opinion, it shows a lack of respect and responsibility. It’s unfair that a student is given the option to get their food to go, yet they don’t wash the box themselves or at least make sure they turn it in before the food starts to rot.
While I understand why staff at the Rock are unhappy about the situation, I don’t believe entirely taking away the to-go boxes was the right decision to make.
It feels as if some rule changes would be a better option. Since everyone who wanted to use the to-go box purchased theirs individually, it feels more logical that everyone who purchases their box is responsible for it. I believe that if you want food to go, then cleaning and reusing your box is a responsibility that should be expected.
Without the to-go boxes, students who have busy schedules are finding it difficult to eat the typical three meals a day. The closing time being switched to 9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. adds a whole other level of difficulty for students.
As I mentioned, I have a hectic schedule as it is, but days where I have late-night practice right after class can get frustrating for me. I go straight from class to practice until 9:30 p.m. some nights and I find it impossible to have time to eat dinner. By the time I get out of practice the Rock has already closed and I am forced to spend money on food or use a meal exchange. For students who don’t have meal exchanges, this can be even more annoying.
Students should have a reliable way to eat food no matter their schedule and I hope that with time the Rock will realize this. Until then, I will be going to bed on an empty stomach.