As someone who has grown up in a middle-class family, where my parents have been able to provide for me everything I needed growing up, for the most part, food insecurity has never been something I thought I would face, let alone face on my college campus.

Yet, here we are.

At the beginning of the semester, I loaded $150 on my GU Gold card to ensure that I was fueling my brain and my body during the school day.

Well, I have run out, just one month after classes began.

After buying three coffees a week and a lunch on Monday, Wednesday and Friday weekly, my funds are drained.

Last Wednesday, my ham sandwich, hummus cup and coffee for lunch cost me a hefty $17.

Why?

Because they can. Because we don’t really have many other options around campus, especially for those limited to walking from place to place.

If the women, and men, on campus are anything like me, reloading a balance on my GU Gold card is the last priority on my list.

I would rather hold off eating the entire school day, which some days doesn’t end until 9 p.m. for me, than spend money on food, let alone overpriced food here on campus.

I have bills to pay and expenses to cover, and in my warped brain, food is the last priority.

But is this insecurity all my fault? Or does it have more to do with the price of food on campus?

In high school, lunch was $1.25, and I didn’t even pay tuition to attend.

Why does a sandwich with bread, ham, tomato and lettuce cost $7.88?

Does our tuition not cover Metz staff wages? Production costs?

Surely anyone who has visited a local grocery store knows that it does not cost $8 to build a simple sandwich.

We could all pack a breakfast, a lunch, a dinner or a snack, but why should we have to?

We are encouraged to spend our time here. We are encouraged to utilize on-campus resources. We are encouraged to study in the library, to visit campus on weekends, to attend sporting events, to be a part of this community.

Is food not a part of this integrative experience? Part of this convenience?

Is this exploitation? Because they can?

I hope this is an issue that is solved before my time here at Gannon is through.

At the very least, our concerns as students, especially about how we are to afford meals on our college campus, should be properly addressed in due time.

ALI SMITH
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